Diagnostic and prognostic value of bladder cancer-related transcript markers in urine.

Purpose: Since cytology as the current "gold standard" for noninvasive detection of bladder cancer (BCa) is characterized by a relatively low sensitivity, urinary transcript levels of survivin (SVV), Ki-67 and cytokeratin 20 (CK20) were evaluated as alternative or complementary biomarkers. Furthermore, their prognostic value was investigated.

Methods: Voided urine samples from 105 BCa patients and 156 controls were included.

Does the introduction of a third examiner and global marking improve the generalisability of the surgical long case?

Introduction: Planning a high-stake clinical examination requires the evaluation of several psychometric and logistical variables. The authors conducted generalisability and decision studies to answer the following research questions in the context of the surgical long case: (1) Does the addition of a third examiner have any added benefit, vis-à-vis reliability, to the examination? (2) Is global marking more reliable than an itemised marking template? (3) What would be the impact on reliability if there was a reduction in the number of examinees that each panel of examiners is required to assess?

Methods: A third examiner and global marking were introduced. Separate generalisability and decision studies were carried out for both the two- and three-examiner models as well as for itemised and global scores.

Aurora-A expression, hormone receptor status and clinical outcome in hormone related cancers.

Aims: We investigated the correlation between protein expression of Aurora-A with hormone receptor expression and clinicopathological parameters in ovarian, breast and prostate cancer.

Methods: Subcellular expression of Aurora-A, and androgen receptor (AR), oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression, were examined by immunohistochemistry in human tissue microarrays of the three cancer types and by Western blot in cancer cell lines and selected patient tissues.

Results: Subgroups of all three cancer types exhibited both nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of Aurora-A.

Differential expression of steroid 5alpha-reductase isozymes and association with disease severity and angiogenic genes predict their biological role in prostate cancer.

The biological role of steroid 5alpha-reductase isozymes (encoded by the SRD5A1 and SRD5A2 genes) and angiogenic factors that play important roles in the pathogenesis and vascularization of prostate cancer (PC) is poorly understood. The sub-cellular expression of these isozymes and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in PC tissue microarrays (n=62) was examined using immunohistochemistry. The effect of SRD5A inhibition on the angiogenesis pathway genes in PC was also examined in prostate cell lines, LNCaP, PC3, and RWPE-1, by treating them with the SRD5A inhibitors finasteride and dutasteride, followed by western blot, quantitative PCR, and ELISA chip array techniques.

Renal cell carcinoma of 4 cm or less: an appraisal of its clinical presentation and contemporary surgical management.

Objective: Greater availability and utilization of modern radiological imaging modalities have resulted in an increase in the incidental discovery of renal cell carcinoma. Such tumours tend to be smaller than their symptomatic counterparts and may potentially be adequately treated using nephron-sparing surgery.

Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who were diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma of 4 cm or less between January 1990 and December 2001 was conducted to review clinical presentation, surgical management and survival.

Laparoscopic nephrectomy: new standard of care?

Objective: The pace of implementation of a laparoscopic nephrectomy programme is affected by factors including surgical expertise, case load, learning curves and outcome audits. We report our experience in introducing a laparoscopic nephrectomy programme over a 3-year period.

Methods: From January 2001 to December 2003, 187 nephrectomies were performed (105 by conventional surgery, 82 by laparoscopy).

Penile cancer: current challenges.

Penile cancer remains a formidable challenge in many developing countries because of its high incidence and the advanced disease stage at diagnosis. For early penile cancer, surgery alone offers a high cure rate. Penile sparing therapies are proposed as alternative treatment options for select patients with the added advantages of preservation of body image and improved quality of life.