Evaluating Guideline Adherence for T1 Bladder Cancer Treatment and Surveillance: A Retrospective German Multicenter Observation.

Introduction: To mirror guideline-adherence for pT1 bladder cancer treatment in Northern Germany.

Materials And Methods: Overall, 111 patients with pT1 diagnosis were treated at 4 institutions. Guideline-adherence was defined as repeat resection, instillation, and quarterly cystoscopy.

Liquid Biopsy Using Whole Blood from Testis Tumor and Colon Cancer Patients-A New and Simple Way?

Tumor cells shed exosomes, which are released to the blood. Detecting tumor-derived exosomes containing RNA in plasma (liquid biopsy) is currently being investigated for early identification of occult metastases or relapses. Isolation of exosomes is laborious, resulting in low RNA yields.

Impact of the Ki-67 labeling index and p53 expression status on disease-free survival in pT1 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

Background: The identification of protein biomarkers to guide treatment decisions regarding adjuvant therapies for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) has been of increasing interest. Evidence of the impact of tumor suppressor gene product p53 and cell proliferation marker Ki-67 on oncologic outcomes in bladder cancer patients at highest risk of recurrence and progression is partially contradictory. We sought to mirror contemporary expression patterns of p53 and Ki-67 in a select cohort of patients with pT1 bladder cancer.

Retinal toxicity after cisplatin-based chemotherapy in patients with germ cell cancer.

Purpose: Visual impairment represents an infrequent form of cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity; however, visual deterioration has been reported in several studies. To evaluate potential morphological and functional retinal alterations in patients with germ cell cancer (GCC) treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CBC).

Methods: Multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional study design.

Expression and Localization of Lung Surfactant Proteins in Human Testis.

Background: Surfactant proteins (SPs) have been described in various tissues and fluids including tissues of the nasolacrimal apparatus, airways and digestive tract. Human testis have a glandular function as a part of the reproductive and the endocrine system, but no data are available on SPs in human testis and prostate under healthy and pathologic conditions.

Objective: The aim of the study was the detection and characterization of the surfactant proteins A, B, C and D (SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, SP-D) in human testis.

MALDI imaging-based identification of prognostically relevant signals in bladder cancer using large-scale tissue microarrays.

Objective: Although most patients with urinary bladder cancer present with noninvasive and low-malignant stages of the disease, about 20% eventually develop life-threatening metastatic tumors. This study was designed to evaluate the potential of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to identify molecular markers predicting the clinical course of bladder cancer.

Materials And Methods: We employed MALDI-MSI to a bladder cancer tissue microarray including paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 697 patients with clinical follow-up data to search for prognostically relevant associations.

Reduced membranous MET expression is linked to bladder cancer progression.

The MET protein is involved in the malignant progression of different tumors. This study aimed to analyze the relationship of MET expression with tumor phenotype and clinical outcome in bladder cancer and the role of gene amplification for MET overexpression. A bladder cancer tissue microarray containing 686 bladder cancers was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Clinically apparent and occult metastasized seminoma: almost indistinguishable on the transcriptional level.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the biological differences between seminomas with occult and clinically apparent metastases at the time of diagnosis of the primary tumor to gain insight into the biology of these tumors and facilitate the identification of novel predictors of seminoma metastasis.

Materials And Methods: Total RNA including small RNAs was isolated from testicular tumors of patients with pure seminoma presenting with lymphogenic metastasis (n = 5, clinical stage IIb/c) and occult metastasis (n = 5, clinical stage I). The regulation of biological processes was examined (1) throughout the mRNA transcriptome (whole genome microarrays, 8×60 K Array, Agilent with 4 samples/group) and (2) the miRNA transcriptome employing small RNA next generation sequencing (SOLID, Life Technologies with 5 samples/group).

German second-opinion network for testicular cancer: sealing the leaky pipe between evidence and clinical practice.

In 2006, the German Testicular Cancer Study Group initiated an extensive evidence-based national second-opinion network to improve the care of testicular cancer patients. The primary aims were to reflect the current state of testicular cancer treatment in Germany and to analyze the project's effect on the quality of care delivered to testicular cancer patients. A freely available internet-based platform was developed for the exchange of data between the urologists seeking advice and the 31 second-opinion givers.

Circulating tumor cells in patients with testicular germ cell tumors.

Purpose: Germ cell tumors (GCTs) represent the most frequent malignancies among young men, but little is known about circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in these tumors. Considering their heterogeneity, CTCs were investigated using two independent assays targeting germ cell tumor and epithelial cell-specific markers, and results were correlated with disease stage, histology, and serum tumor markers.

Experimental Design: CTCs were enriched from peripheral blood (n = 143 patients) and testicular vein blood (TVB, n = 19 patients) using Ficoll density gradient centrifugation.

Small RNAs in the peripheral blood discriminate metastasized from non-metastasized seminoma.

Background: We aimed to better discriminate metastasized (lymphogen/occult/both combined) from non-metastasized seminoma based on post-transcriptional changes examined in the peripheral blood.

Methods: Total RNAs including small RNAs were isolated from the peripheral blood of patients suffering from metastasized testicular tumours (lymphogen, n = 5, clinical stage IIb/c; occult, n = 5, clinical stage I) and non-metastasized patients (n = 5, clinical stage I). Small RNA next generation sequencing (SOLID, Life Technologies) was employed to examine post-transcriptional changes.

Results of thoracic drainages placed in air rescue.

Introduction: horax injuries are to be found in approximately 78% amongst all accident victims. Moreover, they implicate an increase in mortality rate. Consequently, an adequate contemporary treatment has to begin preclinically, even if the conditions are less comfortable than in a clinical setting.

Heavy Metal Content in Thoracic Tissue Samples from Patients with and without NSCLC.

Objectives. Environmental factors expose an individual to heavy metals that may stimulate cancer growth preclinically including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Here, we examine the prevalence of four heavy metals present in postsurgical tissues from individuals with and without NSCLC.

PTEN deletions are related to disease progression and unfavourable prognosis in early bladder cancer.

Aims: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical significance of deletions of the tumour suppressor gene PTEN in bladder cancer.

Methods And Results: A tissue microarray with 686 bladder cancers was analysed for PTEN deletions by fluorescence in-situ hybridization. PTEN mutations were analysed in nine tumours with heterozygous PTEN deletion.

Changes in epidemiologic features of testicular germ cell cancer: age at diagnosis and relative frequency of seminoma are constantly and significantly increasing.

Objectives: Testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) have their incidence peak in the third and fourth decades of life. Histologically, GCTs comprise of seminoma and nonseminoma at almost equal proportions with a slight preponderance of nonseminoma in most of the major series. Since decades, there is a shift toward decreasing age at presentation.

Reduced CD151 expression is related to advanced tumour stage in urothelial bladder cancer.

Aims: CD151 belongs to the group of tetraspanins and is aberrantly expressed in different tumours and differential expression has been associated with prognosis. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship of CD151 expression with tumour phenotype and clinical outcome in bladder cancer.

Methods: A bladder cancer tissue microarray containing samples from 686 urothelial bladder cancers was analysed by immunohistochemistry.

Predicting metastasized seminoma using gene expression.

Unlabelled: Treatment options for testis cancer depend on the histological subtype as well as on the clinical stage. An accurate staging is essential for correct treatment. The 'golden standard' for staging purposes is CT, but occult metastasis cannot be detected with this method.

Standards and interdisciplinary treatment of boxing injuries of the head in professional boxing on the basis of an IBF World Championship Fight.

Background: Boxing injuries are well known in hobby boxing as well as in professional boxing. Especially in professional boxing it is of great importance to implement and follow prevention-, diagnosis- and therapy-standards in order to prevent or at least to minimize injuries of the athlete. The utmost aim would be to establish international prevention-, diagnosis- and therapy-standards for boxing injuries in professional boxing.

Y chromosome loss is a frequent early event in urothelial bladder cancer.

Aims: Y chromosome losses have been described in 10-40% of bladder cancers and were suggested to be age-related. The clinical significance of chromosome Y losses is largely unknown, since only small sets of male bladder cancer patients have been evaluated in previous studies. The aim of this study was to further clarify the potential relevance of Y chromosome losses in bladder cancer with respect to clinical outcome and patient age.

Single postoperative instillation of gemcitabine in patients with non-muscle-invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III multicentre study.

Background: Recurrence prophylaxis with intravesical gemcitabine (GEM) was effective and safe in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC); efficacy as single-shot instillation remains to be proved.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of a single GEM instillation versus placebo (PBO) immediately after transurethral resection (TUR) of tumour in patients with histologically confirmed NMIBC (pTa/pT1,G1-3).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This was a double-blind, randomised, PBO-controlled study in patients with clinical evidence of primary or recurrent NMIBC (Ta/T1,G1-3).

Sustainable watershed management: an international multi-watershed case study.

Global freshwater resources are being increasingly polluted and depleted, threatening sustainable development and human and ecosystem health. Utilizing case studies from 4 different watersheds in the United States, Japan, Switzerland, and Brazil, this paper identifies the most relevant sustainability deficits and derives general vectors for more sustainable water management. As a consequence of the demographic and economic developments experienced in the last few decades, each watershed has suffered declines in water quality, streamflow and biotic resources.