Clinical significance of heparanase splice variant (t5) in renal cell carcinoma: evaluation by a novel t5-specific monoclonal antibody.

T5 is a novel splice variant of heparanase, an endo-β-D-glucuronidase capable of cleaving heparan sulfate side chains at a limited number of sites. T5 splice variant is endowed with pro-tumorigenic properties, enhancing cell proliferation, anchorage independent growth and tumor xenograft development despite lack of heparan sulfate-degrading activity typical of heparanase. T5 is over expressed in the majority of human renal cell carcinoma biopsies examined, suggesting that this splice variant is clinically relevant.

Degree and Predictors of Functional Loss of the Operated Kidney following Nephron-Sparing Surgery: Assessment by Quantitative SPECT of 99m Tc-Dimercaptosuccinic Acid Scintigraphy.

Purpose. To determine the degree and predictors of renal function loss of the operated kidney following nephron-sparing surgery (NSS). Material and methods.

Positive surgical margin appears to have negligible impact on survival of renal cell carcinomas treated by nephron-sparing surgery.

Background: The occurrence of positive surgical margins (PSMs) after partial nephrectomy (PN) is rare, and little is known about their natural history.

Objective: To identify predictive factors of cancer recurrence and related death in patients having a PSM following PN.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Some 111 patients with a PSM were identified from a multicentre retrospective survey and were compared with 664 negative surgical margin (NSM) patients.