Effect of Positive Biopsy Core Rate on Low-dose-rate Brachytherapy Outcomes in Intermediate-risk Prostate Cancer.

Background/aim: Intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa) is a highly heterogeneous disease. Although low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR-BT) is mainly used for low- to intermediate-risk PCa, limited reports have evaluated the detailed differences in outcomes, including differences between patients with ISUP grade group (GG) 2 and GG3 intermediate-risk PCa. This study aimed to investigate the differences in outcomes between intermediate-risk Japanese patients with GG2 and GG3 PCa who underwent LDR-BT.

Prostate-specific Antigen Levels Following Brachytherapy Impact Late Biochemical Recurrence in Japanese Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer.

Background/aim: Evaluation of long-term outcomes is essential for the successful treatment of localized prostate cancer; however, the risk of late recurrence following brachytherapy is still not clear. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR-BT) for localized prostate cancer in Japanese patients and identify factors associated with late recurrence after treatment.

Patients And Methods: This single-center, cohort study included patients who underwent LDR-BT at the Tokushima University Hospital in Japan between July 2004 and January 2015; 418 patients, who were followed-up at least 7 years after LDR-BT, were included in the study.

Risk factors for recurrence after operation in patients with pT1a renal cell carcinoma: sub-analysis of the multi-institutional national database of the Japanese Urological Association.

Background: More patients with renal cell carcinoma are now diagnosed with the disease in its early stages. Although patients with pT1a renal cell carcinoma have a good prognosis and low recurrence rate, a few patients still experience recurrence. Herein, we evaluated the clinicopathological risk factors for postoperative recurrence of pT1aN0M0 renal cell carcinoma.

Perinephric invasion as a prognostic factor in non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma: analysis of a nation-wide registry program.

Objectives: Perinephric fat invasion (PFI) of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is known to be associated with adverse pathological features and poor prognosis. We analyzed these associations using a sub-group of the RCC registry of The Cancer Registration Committee of the Japanese Urological Association.

Methods: The study cohort of 2998 non-metastatic cases was retrieved from RCC registry (3648 in total).

Low Expression of Toll-like Receptor 4 Is Associated With Poor Prognosis in Bladder Cancer.

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between the progression of bladder cancer (BCa) and TLR4 expression.

Materials And Methods: The relationship between TLR4 expression and prognosis of BCa patients was analyzed using a publicly available database and immunohistochemical staining of clinical samples. The effect of TLR4 knockdown was also examined on the invasive capabilities of BCa cells.

[Renal Angiomyolipoma Extending into the Renal Vein --A Case Report-].

We report a case of left renal angiomyolipoma extending into the renal vein. A 67-year-old woman showed a left renal tumor which was 6 cm in diameter and had density equal to fat tissue in computed tomography. We suspected liposarcoma and performed radical nephrectomy and resection of thrombus.

Active heavy cigarette smoking is associated with poor survival in Japanese patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma: sub-analysis of the multi-institutional national database of the Japanese Urological Association.

Objective: The association between cigarette smoking and survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma is not well studied. We examined the impact of cigarette smoking on survival of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma using the multi-institutional national database of the Japanese Urological Association.

Methods: From 340 Japanese institutions, 963 patients with renal cell carcinoma of clinical Stage 3 or higher were analyzed.

Predictive Factors for Prolonged Urination Disorder After Permanent I Brachytherapy for Localized Prostate Cancer.

Background: We assessed the change in LUTS after prostate brachytherapy to reveal factors for prolonged urination disorder.

Materials And Methods: Four hundred and four patients received prostate brachytherapy at our institution and were followed-up for at least 2 years. We evaluated the correlation of mean IPSS changes and clinical factors.

[Urinary disturbance in elder patients -Characteristic and problems based on the sex-].

In the elderly person, various urinary symptoms are developed regardless of man and woman by a physical change with the aging. In elder men, we often recognize the progress of the urinary disturbance with the progress of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Based on the recent increase of prostate cancer patients, the number of elder patients treated with radi- cal prostatectomy or radiotherapy for prostate is increasing.

The Involvement of Hepatocyte Growth Factor-MET-Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 Signaling in Bladder Cancer Invasiveness and Proliferation. Effect of the MET Inhibitor, Cabozantinib (XL184), on Bladder Cancer Cells.

Objective: To clarify the invasive mechanisms of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (BCa) would be useful for the determination of appropriate treatment strategies. We previously showed that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-MET signaling is correlated with invasiveness of BCa cells. Here, we investigated the effects of the MET inhibitor, cabozantinib (XL184), on BCa cells.

Galectin-3 Is Implicated in Tumor Progression and Resistance to Anti-androgen Drug Through Regulation of Androgen Receptor Signaling in Prostate Cancer.

Background: Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)-related deaths are increasing worldwide. Therefore, clarification of the mechanisms of hormone-related tumor progression and resistance to anti-androgen drugs is useful in order to develop strategies for appropriate treatment of CRPC. Galectin-3 has been shown to be correlated with tumor progression in a variety of cancer types through the regulation of tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis.

Diversity in treatment modalities of Stage II/III urothelial cancer in Japan: sub-analysis of the multi-institutional national database of the Japanese Urological Association.

Objective: We aimed to survey treatment modalities for the patients with Stage II/III urothelial cancer in Japan.

Methods: We used the multi-institutional national database of the Japanese Urological Association from 348 Japanese institutions, in which a total of 3707 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer and 1538 with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma were registered in 2008 and 2011, respectively. Primary treatment was classified as surgery alone, surgery with chemotherapy, surgery with radiation, radiation alone, chemotherapy alone, combination of radiation and chemotherapy and observation.

Multi-institutional retrospective analysis of learning curves on dosimetry and operation time before and after introduction of intraoperatively built custom-linked seeds in prostate brachytherapy.

This multi-institutional retrospective analysis examined learning curves for dosimetric parameters and operation time after introduction of intraoperatively built custom-linked (IBCL) seeds. Data from consecutive patients treated with seed implantation before and after introduction of IBCL seeds (loose seed, n = 428; IBCL seed, n = 426) were collected from 13 centers. Dose-volume histogram parameters, operation times, and seed migration rates were compared before and after introduction of IBCL seeds.

Clinical Significance of Neoadjuvant Combined Androgen Blockade for More Than Six Months in Patients with Localized Prostate Cancer Treated with Prostate Brachytherapy.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to clarify the clinical significance of neoadjuvant combined androgen blockade (CAB) for ≥ 6 months in patients with localized prostate cancer.

Patients And Methods: A total of 431 patients with localized prostate cancer who underwent prostate brachytherapy (BT) with or without neoadjuvant CAB for ≥ 6 months with mean follow-up time of 64.6 months (range 24-108 months) were evaluated retrospectively.

Clinicopathological characteristics and oncological outcomes in patients with renal cell carcinoma registered in 2007: The first large-scale multicenter study from the Cancer Registration Committee of the Japanese Urological Association.

Objectives: To describe the clinicopathological features and oncological outcomes of renal cell carcinoma diagnosed in Japan in 2007, the results of the large-scale renal cell carcinoma registration study carried out by the Japanese Urological Association are reported.

Methods: The renal cell carcinoma survey was carried out by the Japanese Urological Association in 2012 to register newly diagnosed renal cell carcinoma cases in 2007 from 340 institutions nationwide. The survey included clinicopathological details, such as sex, age, family history, past history, smoking history, body mass index, reason for diagnosis, TNM classification, stage, histopathology, treatment and clinical outcomes.

Complications of Flexible Ureteroscopic Treatment for Renal and Ureteral Calculi during the Learning Curve.

Background: The flexible ureterorenoscope (URS) and associated devices have developed rapidly. However, despite its therapeutic benefits, URS may be associated with some complications. To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies discussing the complications of flexURS during the learning curve.

Clinical characteristics and oncological outcomes of testicular cancer patients registered in 2005 and 2008: the first large-scale study from the Cancer Registration Committee of the Japanese Urological Association.

Objectives: To describe the clinical and pathological characteristics and oncological outcomes of testicular cancer diagnosed in Japan, we report the results of the testicular cancer registration carried out by the Japanese Urological Association.

Methods: Testicular cancer survey was conducted by the Japanese Urological Association in 2011 to register newly diagnosed testicular cancers in 2005 and 2008. The survey included details such as age, presenting symptoms, physical examination findings, tumor markers, histopathology, clinical stage, initial treatment and clinical outcomes.

Changes in levels of prostate-specific antigen and testosterone following discontinuation of long-term hormone therapy for non-metastatic prostate cancer.

Introduction: We evaluated changes in levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and testosterone following discontinuation of long-term hormone therapy for non-metastatic prostate cancer.

Patients And Methods: Treatment was discontinued in 31 patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer (clinical stage B-C) after ≥ 5 years of hormone therapy, during which time PSA level had been maintained less than 0.5 ng/ml.

Oncological outcomes of renal pelvic and ureteral cancer patients registered in 2005: the first large population report from the Cancer Registration Committee of the Japanese Urological Association.

Objectives: To describe the clinical and pathological characteristics and the outcomes of renal pelvic and ureteral cancer patients diagnosed in 2005 in Japan.

Methods: In 2011, data were collected from renal pelvic and ureteral cancer patients diagnosed in 2005. A total of 1509 registered patients from 348 institutions were analyzed.

[Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer with multiple bone metastasis without local invasion : a case report].

A 66-year-old man with superficial bladder cancer was treated with transurethral resection (TURBT) in October 2011. The pathological diagnosis was urothelial carcinoma (UC), grade 2, T1. A second TURBT was performed one month later.

Substitution of anti-androgens and tegafur-uracil combination therapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer: results of a multi-center randomized phase II study.

We conducted this study to determine whether substitution with anti-androgen (SOA) and tegafur-uracil (a pro‑drug of 5-FU) combination therapy is more effective than SOA alone after relapse from initial hormonal therapy. Patients who were histologically confirmed and relapsed after initial hormonal therapy were included. All patients were randomly allocated into two groups: SOA alone (group A) or SOA combined with tegafur-uracil (group B).

Down-regulated claudin-7 immunoexpression in urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Objectives: To analyse the gene-expression level of claudin-7 in urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the urinary bladder, and its relationship with clinicopathological variables.

Materials And Methods: This study included 68 specimens of UC of the bladder, comprising 35 with non-muscle-invasive (NMI), stage Ta-T1, and 33 with muscle-invasive (MI) tumours, T2-T4, and 26 of normal urothelium (NU). Total RNA was extracted and 1 μg was reverse transcribed using a cDNA kit.