Second Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor: Is it Necessary in All T1 and/or High-Grade Tumors?

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of second transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) in patients with T1 and/or high-grade bladder tumor regarding tumor size, multiplicity, and presence or absence of muscle in specimens of initial resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 107 patients with either primary T1 or high-grade urothelial bladder cancer underwent second TURBT within 6 weeks after initial surgery and prior to starting intravesical immunotherapy. We assessed the incidence of residual disease and upstaging in second TURBT. RESULTS: Upstaging was noted in 11 (10.3%) patients and residual tumor was evident in 29 (27%) patients. Disease upstaging had a statistically significant association with tumor size, multifocality, and absence of muscle at initial resection in univariate analysis. Presence of residual tumor in second resection also showed significant association with tumor size and absence of muscle at initial resection but not multifocality. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that absence of muscle at initial resection independently predicts disease upstaging during second TURBT (OR = 8.123, 95% CI: 1.478-44.632). Furthermore, both tumor size (OR = 13.573, 95% CI: 3.104-59.359) and absence of muscle (OR = 21.214, 95% CI: 6.062-74.244) were independent predictors of residual disease in second TURBT. CONCLUSION: We showed that second TURBT in a subset of patients with single, small T1 and/or high-grade tumor who underwent complete initial resection might be of limited value.

The comparison between human leukocyte antigen system incidence in patients with bladder cancer and normal controls.

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B5 in patients with bladder cancer compared with normal population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross sectional study, from November 2009 until November 2010, 35 patients with pathologic diagnosis of bladder cancer who referred to urology clinic of Razi Hospital were studied. Also, 130 healthy transplant donation volunteers who referred for HLA-typing to Guilan Blood Transfusion Organization, were selected. Inclusion criterion was pathologic diagnosis of bladder cancer regardless of stage and grade of tumor. Exclusion criteria were presence of other urologic diseases. The information of these cases was extracted from medical records, collected and analyzed. RESULTS: HLA-B5 was positive in 34.3% of the patient group and in 39.2% of the controls. Statistical analysis showed no significant association between HLA-B5 and bladder cancer (P = .15). There were no significant differences between grade (P = .107) and relapse (P = .327)of bladder tumor with presence of HLA-B5. CONCLUSION: There was no significant association between HLA-B5 and bladder cancer. The grade and the relapse of tumor had no association with presence or absence of HLA-B5.

Assessment of the efficacy of combination therapy with folic acid and tadalafil for the management of erectile dysfunction in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

INTRODUCTION.: Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors PDE5Is are less effective in diabetic men with erectile dysfunction (ED); however, the effect of combination therapy with folic acid and PDE5Is in these patients has not been investigated. AIM.: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with folic acid and tadalafil for the management of ED in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS.: Eighty-three patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and ED were included in this randomized double-blind clinical trial. They were randomly divided into two groups. Group A was treated with tadalafil 10 mg every other day plus folic acid 5 mg daily and group B received tadalafil 10 mg every other day plus placebo daily for 3 months. The mean International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) scores before and after treatment in each groups were recorded. Men with diagnosis of psychological ED, spinal cord injury, or who used folic acid in the past 3 months and patients with any contradiction for use of PDE5Is were excluded. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES.: The cross tabulation and independent t-test were used to evaluate the difference between baseline characteristic of the patients in the two groups. Wilcoxon signed-ranks test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to evaluate the IIEF score and also its changes before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS.: The mean IIEF scores before and after treatment were 11.65 ± 2.67 and 16.80 ± 4.03 in group A (P < 0.001) and 12.70 ± 2.31 and 14.37 ± 2.17 in group B (P < 0.001), respectively. The difference of mean IIEF score after treatment between the two groups was significant (16.80 ± 4.03 vs. 14.37 ± 2.17 in groups A and B, respectively) (P = 0.002). Also, the mean IIEF score was significantly increased in group A as compared with group B (5.14 ± 3.84 vs. 1.68 ± 0.99 in groups A and B, respectively) (P < 0.001). Both folic acid and tadalafil were well tolerated by all the patients. CONCLUSION.: Sexual function in diabetic patients with ED treated with the combination of tadalafil and folic acid improved significantly as compared with the placebo group. The use of folic acid and tadalafil is safe.