Comparative study of the treatment of renal stones with flexible ureterorenoscopy in normal weight, obese, and morbidly obese patients.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and the safety of flexible ureterorenoscopy (f-URS) in the treatment of kidney stones according to the body mass index (BMI), which seems to be less influenced by weight compared with shock wave lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective monocentric study in patients with a known BMI who underwent an f-URS for kidney stones between 2006 and 2008. Success rates in the obese patients (OP) group (BMI ≥30 kg/m(2)) were compared with success rates in the normal weight patients (NWP) control group (BMI <25 kg/m(2)).

Can we improve the biopsy quality of upper urinary tract urothelial tumors? Single-center preliminary results of a new biopsy forceps.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the biopsy quality of upper urinary tract urothelial transitional cell carcinoma with a new biopsy forceps (BIGopsy®, Cook Medical) compared to a classic biopsy forceps (Piranha®, Boston Scientific).

Patients And Methods: From December 2009 to December 2011, 20 patients with upper urinary tract urothelial transitional cell carcinoma underwent conservative treatment endoscopically. All lesions were evaluated and biopsied with 3 Fr cup forceps using both types of forceps (BIGopsy and Piranha).

The new Olympus digital flexible ureteroscope (URF-V): Initial experience.

Objective: Flexible ureterorenoscopes (FURSs) are considered important additions to urology armamentarium. One of the technical drawbacks is the poor optic image provided by fiberoptic endoscope as well as the fragility of this conventional fiberoptic endoscope. This study aim is to evaluate practical performances and functional durability of the new Olympus digital flexible ureteroscope (ODF-URS) (URF-V) in a single center clinical setting.

Diagnostic, staging, and grading of urothelial carcinomas from urine: performance of BCA-1, a mini-array comparative genomic hybridisation-based test.

Background: Cytogenetic abnormalities occur at an early stage of bladder urothelial carcinomas (BUC), and their frequency increases as the cancer becomes more advanced.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic performance of a test based on cytogenetic abnormalities to diagnose, stage, and grade BUC from the urine.

Design, Setting, And Participants: We used a 341 bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH)-array chip (BCA-1) designed to include loci affected in BUC.

Intrasphincteric injections of autologous muscular cells in women with refractory stress urinary incontinence: a prospective study.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Cell therapy for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) management has been experienced with encouraging results.

Methods: We conducted an open prospective study on 12 women presenting severe SUI with fixed urethra, after previous failed surgical management. Patients underwent intrasphincteric injections of autologous progenitor muscular cells isolated from a biopsy of deltoid muscle.

Flexible ureterorenoscopy with holmium laser in horseshoe kidneys.

Objectives: To assess the outcome of flexible ureterorenoscopy (F-URS) with the holmium laser in treating stones in the horseshoe kidney (HSK).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 17 patients with a HSK stone (17 renal units) who had undergone F-URS with the holmium laser from December 2004 to May 2009. The presenting symptoms were renal colic, urinary tract infection, or hematuria.

Oncologic control obtained after exclusive flexible ureteroscopic management of upper urinary tract urothelial cell carcinoma.

Objective: To assess oncological outcome after first-line management of upper urinary tract urothelial cell carcinomas (UUT-UCCs) by exclusive flexible ureteroscopy.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review was performed for 35 patients treated between 2003 and 2007. All patients underwent retrograde flexible ureteroscopy for diagnosis, treatment (i.

Occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons influenced neither the frequency nor the spectrum of FGFR3 mutations in bladder urothelial carcinoma.

Occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is associated with an increased risk of urothelial carcinoma (UC). FGFR3 is found mutated in about 70% of Ta tumors, which represent the major group at diagnosis. The influence of PAH on FGFR3 mutations and whether it is related to the emergence or shaping of these mutations is not yet known.

Regional copy number-independent deregulation of transcription in cancer.

Genetic and epigenetic alterations have been identified that lead to transcriptional deregulation in cancers. Genetic mechanisms may affect single genes or regions containing several neighboring genes, as has been shown for DNA copy number changes. It was recently reported that epigenetic suppression of gene expression can also extend to a whole region; this is known as long-range epigenetic silencing.

Gefitinib inhibits the growth and invasion of urothelial carcinoma cell lines in which Akt and MAPK activation is dependent on constitutive epidermal growth factor receptor activation.

Purpose: Abnormally high levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein are associated with advanced tumor stage/grade. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the specific EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib on activation of the Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in human urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) cell lines and to identify potential markers of gefitinib responsiveness in biopsy samples of UCC.

Experimental Design: Changes in markers of UCC growth and invasion after exposure to gefitinib were studied in six human UCC cell lines expressing various levels of EGFR.

Protocadherin-PC promotes androgen-independent prostate cancer cell growth.

Background: Protocadherin-PC (PCDH-PC) expression is upregulated in apoptosis-resistant sublines of the LNCaP human prostate cancer (CaP) cell line. Here, we assess the role of PCDH-PC in CaP cells and its mRNA expression in human prostate tissues.

Methods: LNCaP cells transfected with PCDH-PC were tested for their ability to grow in vitro and in vivo in androgen-deprived conditions.

Oncogenic properties of the mutated forms of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3b.

Germinal activating mutations of FGFR3 are responsible for several forms of dwarfism due to the inhibitory effect of FGFR3 on bone growth. Surprisingly, identical somatic activating mutations have been found at the somatic level in tumours: at high frequency in benign epithelial tumours (seborrheic keratosis, urothelial papilloma) and in low-grade, low-stage urothelial carcinomas, and at a lower frequency in other types of urothelial carcinoma, in cervix carcinoma, and in haematological cancer, multiple myeloma. FGFR3 exists as two isoforms, FGFR3b and FGFR3c, differs in ligand specificity and tissue expression.

Mutations in TP53, but not FGFR3, in urothelial cell carcinoma of the bladder are influenced by smoking: contribution of exogenous versus endogenous carcinogens.

Smoking is a major risk factor for urothelial cell carcinoma of the bladder (UCC). Mutations in the FGFR3 and TP53 genes have been shown to define two distinct pathways in superficial papillary and invasive UCC disease, respectively. We investigated the relationship between smoking and these mutations by means of denaturing high performance liquid chromatography and sequencing for 110 primary UCC of the bladder.

Profiles of the 2 INK4a gene products, p16 and p14ARF, in human reference urothelium and bladder carcinomas, according to pRb and p53 protein status.

The INK4a/ARF locus encodes 2 cell cycle regulatory proteins: p16 and p14(ARF). P16 inhibits the activities of cdks, which maintain the retinoblastoma protein (pRb) in its active hypophosphorylated state. P14(ARF) blocks MDM2-induced p53 degradation and transactivational silencing.

Growth, differentiation and senescence of normal human urothelium in an organ-like culture.

Objective: To examine the kinetics of growth, differentiation and senescence of normal human urothelium in an organoid-like culture model.

Materials And Methods: Micro-dissected normal human urothelium explants were grown on porous membranes pretreated with various matrix components. Between 5 and 30 days of culture, cell proliferation was assessed by BrdU incorporation.

Prognostic value of EGF receptor and tumor cell proliferation in bladder cancer: therapeutic implications.

Changes in growth factor receptor expression may confer a growth advantage on tumour cells. Epidermal growth factor-receptor (EGF-R) has been associated with the genesis of bladder tumours. We sought a link between EGF-R expression and MIB-1 cell proliferation and examined their prognostic value in the progression of bladder cancer.

Pretreatment p53 nuclear overexpression as a prognostic marker in superficial bladder cancer treated with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG).

Introduction: Altered p53 gene product correlates with the stage and grade of bladder tumor, but its value as a predictor of BCG response has been disappointing. In order to revisit the prognostic value of pretreatment p53 nuclear overexpression for the BCG response, we studied a large cohort of consecutive patients with superficial bladder cancer treated with BCG.

Methods: From 1988 to 2001, 102 patients with a history of multifocal, recurrent, and/or high-risk papillary transitional cell carcinoma or carcinoma in situ, were treated for the first time with BCG.

FGFR3 and TP53 gene mutations define two distinct pathways in urothelial cell carcinoma of the bladder.

FGFR3 and TP53 mutations are frequent in superficial papillary and invasive disease, respectively. We used denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and sequencing to screen for FGFR3 and TP53 mutations in 81 newly diagnosed urothelial cell carcinomas. Tumors were classified as follows: 31 pTa, 1 carcinoma in situ, 30 pT1, and 19 pT2-T4.

Beta-catenin-related anomalies in apoptosis-resistant and hormone-refractory prostate cancer cells.

Purpose: beta-Catenin is a critical end component of the wnt signaling pathway that regulates cell growth, apoptosis, and migratory behavior in response to intercellular adhesion molecules. The aim of this study was to evaluate abnormalities of beta-catenin protein expression, subcellular localization, and activity in an in vitro model of acquired apoptosis-resistance in cultured PC cells and in primary human prostate cancers (PrCa).

Experimental Design: Apoptosis-resistant human prostate cancer cell line variants were derived from parental LNCaP cells by repeated brief exposure to apoptotic stimuli.

The emergence of protocadherin-PC expression during the acquisition of apoptosis-resistance by prostate cancer cells.

In order to identify gene products associated with the development of acquired therapeutic resistance by prostate cancer cells, we created two novel apoptosis-resistant prostate cancer cell lines, LNCaP-TR (phorbol-ester [TPA]-Resistant) and LNCaP-SSR (Serum Starvation-Resistant) by repeated transient exposure of cultured human LNCaP cells to apoptotic stimuli followed by expansion of surviving cell populations. These cell lines were found to be cross-resistant to the alternative selective agent and also hormone-resistant when xenografted into castrated male immunodeficient mice. RNA from the LNCaP-TR line was comparatively screened using a subtractive hybridization-PCR procedure.