HER2/neu expression status of post BCG recurrent non-muscle-invasive bladder urothelial carcinomas in relation to their primary ones.

BACKGROUND: Transurethral resection (TUR) followed by adjuvant therapy is still the treatment of choice of Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma (NMIBUC). However, recurrence is one of the most troublesome features of these lesions. Early second resection and adjuvant BCG therapy has been shown to improve the outcome. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic value of C-erbB-2 (HER2/neu) expression status in Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma cases, before and after intravesical Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG immunotherapy). MATERIALS AND METHODS: HER2/neu expression was studied in 120 (Ta-T1) Non-Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma cases. The expression was evaluated and compared to the expression after Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy. RESULTS: HER2/neu expression in low and high grade of the Non- Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma was (38%) and (83%) respectively. The difference of the expression rates by tumor grade was statistically significant. In recurring lesions post BCG therapy, C-erbB-2 expression was markedly decreased (31.6%) when compared to its expression before therapy (65%). CONCLUSIONS: The HER2/neu expression increased as the tumor grade rose. The reduction in expression following BCG treatment in Non-Invasive transitional cell carcinoma cases could reflect a reduction of the potential malignancy of the tumor.

Correlation between serum copeptin and urinary aquaporin-2 levels in children with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the utility of serum copeptin and urinary aquaporin-2 (AQP2) levels in diagnosing primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PMNE) in children. METHODS: This study comprised 58 children (30 males and 28 females), aged 9.7 (±2.9) years with PMNE enuresis. Another 29 children (16 males and 13 females) aged 10.2 (±3.3) without nocturnal enuresis (NE) were recruited as a control group. History taking, clinical examination, and assessment of serum copeptin (blood) and AQP-2 levels (urine) were performed in all participants. RESULTS: Serum levels of copeptin, potassium and urinary AQP-2, and urine creatinine levels were lower in the PMNE group compared to the control group (p < 0.001 for all). No significant differences in body mass index, urine specific gravity, serum sodium, serum creatinine, or estimated glomerular filtration rate were observed between groups. This study evaluated both serum copeptin and AQP-2 levels in healthy and enuretic children. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, serum levels of copeptin (blood) and AQP2 (urine) were significantly lower in enuretic patients compared to healthy controls. Further, the measurement of urinary AQP-2 levels is more practical than serum copeptin levels due to lower invasiveness.