Factors Affecting Surgical Margin Positivity after Radical Prostatectomy in the Turkish Population: A Multicenter Study of the Urooncology Association.

Background: The prediction of positive surgical margins (SM) after radical prostatectomy (RP) is important for planning the surgical modality and adjuvant therapy in patients with prostate cancer (PCa).

Objectives: To investigate factors affecting SM positivity in patients diagnosed with PCa who underwent RP using the PCa database of the Urooncology Association (Turkey).

Methods: Patients who underwent RP due to clinically T1c-T3 PCa and who had detailed SM data for the RP specimen were included in the study.

Genetic alterations of chromosomes, p53 and p16 genes in low- and high-grade bladder cancer.

A majority of patients with bladder cancer present with superficial disease and subsequently, some patients show progression to muscle invasive or metastatic disease. Bladder cancer has a complex genetic process and identification of the genetic alterations which occur during progression may lead to the understanding of the nature of the disease and provide the possibility of early treatment. The aim of the present study was to compare the structural and numerical chromosomal differences and changes in the p16 and p53 genes between low-grade (LG) and high-grade (HG) bladder cancer (BC) using cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic methods.

Immediate and long-term high levels of plasma homocysteine after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in patients with renal stone disease.

Background: Plasma homocysteine levels increase in patients with chronic renal failure. Numerous studies have demonstrated that kidney function is one of the most important determinants of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentration. In this study we aimed to evaluate the relationship between tHcy levels and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) for patients with renal stones and to see if the change in homocysteine levels continued if renal dysfunction improved.

Genetic polymorphisms of estrogen receptor alpha and catechol-O-methyltransferase genes in Turkish patients with familial prostate carcinoma.

Objectives: Estrogen is one of the most crucial hormones participating in the proliferation and carcinogenesis of the prostate glands. Genetic polymorphisms in the estrogen metabolism pathway might be involved in the risk of prostate carcinoma development. We evaluated the association between genetic polymorphisms in estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genes and the risk of developing familial prostate carcinoma.

An unusual cause of hematospermia: Primary adenocarcinoma of the seminal vesicle.

Adenocarcinoma of the seminal vesicles is one of the rare causes of hematospermia. Primary seminal vesicle adenocarcinoma is extremely rare and difficult to diagnose due to frequent invasion of adenocarcinomas of the surrounding organs, especially the prostate. In the present study, a case of a primary seminal vesicle adenocarcinoma will be discussed in the light of the current literature.

Acute urinary retention due to cystic echinococcosis: A case report.

Urinary hydatidosis is very rare and represents 2% to 4% of all cases of cystic echinococcosis. We present a case of a 21-year-old man with symptoms of frequency, urinary retention and reduced force in urinary stream due to cystic echinococcosis. Anti-Echinococcus granulosus antibodies were determined by echinococcosis western blotting, and pelvic computed tomography revealed a 11 × 14 × 10-cm retrovesical homogeneous cystic mass.

Evaluation of the effects of androgen receptor gene trinucleotide repeats and prostate-specific antigen gene polymorphisms on prostate cancer.

The number of trinucleotide repeats [CAG (coding for polyglutamine), GGC (coding for polyglycine)] in the first exon of the androgen receptor (AR) gene and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) gene androgen response element I A/G polymorphism are both related to prostate cancer prognosis. We investigated whether these genomic changes occur in the AR and PSA genes, which are usually found in individuals with prostate cancer, of Turkish patients and to find out their distribution in the population. We used PCR and PCR-RFLP assays for AR and PSA genes, respectively, to detect molecular changes in 44 prostate cancer patients.

Three different techniques for administering analgesia during transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy: a comparative study.

Purpose: The efficacy of three different analgesic techniques during transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided prostate biopsy, including (i) periprostatic blockage (PPB), (ii) intrarectal gel instillation, and (iii) sedoanalgesia were compared.

Material And Methods: During a period of five months, 100 consecutive men were enrolled in this study. A 10-point linear visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the pain scores during (VAS 1), immediately after (VAS 2) and one hour after (VAS 3) the needle biopsy procedure.

MTHFR gene polymorphisms in bladder cancer in the Turkish population.

Bladder cancer is the 9th most common cancer and is responsible for malignancy related death all on the world. Folate and folate related enzyme polymorphisms related to the cancer risk. The methylene tethrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) enzyme is folate related and association of bladder cancer and MTHFR gene.

Metastatic thymoma as a retrovesical mass.

Retrovesical masses can be of various histopathological origin, most often prostatic. Primary tumours as well as metastatic lesions should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Metastatic thymoma, as presented in this case report, can be an extremely rare cause of retrovesical space occupying lesion.

CA9 expression as a prognostic factor in renal clear cell carcinoma.

Introduction: We investigated whether CA9 protein could be used as a prognostic tumor marker as well as a diagnostic biomarker in renal clear cell carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: Nephrectomy specimens from 92 patients were used in this study. 80 of these were renal cell carcinomas, 10 adenomas and 2 oncocytomas.

Rigid ureteroscopy for the treatment of ureteral calculi in children.

Purpose: We assess the safety and efficacy of rigid ureteroscopy for the treatment of pediatric ureterolithiasis.

Materials And Methods: The records of 33 children with an average age of 7.4 years (range 9 months to 15 years) treated with rigid ureteroscopy between May 1995 and July 2003 were reviewed.

A rare retroperitoneal benign tumor. Castleman's disease.

A case of retroperitoneal Castleman's disease - a benign lymphoid tumor - is reported. The tumor is excised totally. A 34-month follow-up period is disease free and uneventful.

Primary malignant melanoma of the kidney.

The fourth patient with a solitary malignant melanoma of the kidney with no apparent primary lesion or metastasis is reported.

Morbidity of flank incision in 100 renal donors.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the morbidity of lumbotomy incision used in the last 100 living related donor nephrectomies retrospectively.

Methods: Since March 1991, 100 donor nephrectomies were made to living donors with lumbar incision. Incisions made in lateral decubitus position, subcostally or by an 11th or 12th rib resection.

Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia in prostate specimens: frequency, significance and relationship to the sampling of the specimen (a retrospective study of 121 cases).

Objectives: To determine the frequency of PIN (prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia) in prostate specimens and the relationship of PIN with PCA (prostatic carcinoma) and amount of sampling of the specimen.

Materials And Methods: All the haematoxylin-eosin stained slides of 121 cases diagnosed between 1990 and 1995 were re-examined retrospectively. The amount of sampling of prostate specimens was also re-examined.