Predictors and prognostic implications of clinical decisions in patients with primary high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer - results of a cross country retrospective study.

Adjuvant diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are available to reduce the risk of recurrence or progression in patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, their indications and efficacy remain a matter of debate. The aim of this study was to analyze therapeutic decisions in patients with primary high-risk NMIBC and to analyze the adherence to clinical guidelines in this field.545 consecutive patients, aged a median of 70.3 years, diagnosed with primary high-risk NMIBC in thirteen urological institutions, were enrolled into this retrospective study. Diagnostic and therapeutic decisions after transurethral resection (TUR) were recorded, and predictive factors were analyzed.Restaging TUR was offered to 260 patients (47.7%), up-front intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy to 74 patients (13.6%), immediate radical cystectomy to 38 patients (7.0%), and intravesical chemotherapy with the maintenance therapy to 12 patients (2.2%). No additional procedure was performed in 161 patients (29.5%). The strongest predictive factor for restaging TUR was G3 or high-grade cancer (RR 1.68, p<0.01), for upfront BCG therapy it was carcinoma in situ (RR 3.20, p=0.01), for immediate cystectomy it was stage T1 tumor (RR 3.71, p<0.01), for no additional procedures it was G2 or low-grade cancer (RR 2.18, p<0.01).Clinical management of patients with high-risk NMIBC is suboptimal and not standardized. As this can directly influence patients' survival, urgent improvement of urological care in this field should be considered.

Stage of bladder cancer in Central Europe - Polish perspective.

Mortality rate from bladder cancer in Europe is the highest in its Central Region. This study is an attempt to find underlying factors by proper characterisation of large cohort of Polish patients with bladder cancer.This is a multicentre study enrolling 1360 consecutive patients diagnosed with primary urothelial carcinoma of the bladder in years 2012-2013 in Poland. All patients underwent transurethral resection of the bladder tumor. Data on staging and grading of all cancers were collected, as well as several demographic and clinical factors were tested for the association with muscle invasiveness of the cancer.Mean age of the cohort was 69.6 years, male to female ratio was 3:1. Bladder cancer stage Ta, T1 and muscle-invasive (MIBC) was diagnosed in 533 (39.2%), 516 (37.9%) and 296 (21.8%) patients, respectively. Patients with MIBC were older (73 vs. 68 years, p<0.05), had lower body mass index (25.4 vs. 26.5 kg/m2, p<0.05), lower haemoglobin concentration (12.2 vs. 13.4 mg/l, p<0.05), longer history of haematuria (86.2 vs. 74.4 days) and longer time interval from first symptom to diagnosis (118.0 vs. 88.2 days), compared to patients with Ta and T1 tumors.High mortality rate from bladder cancer in Central Europe can result from very high incidence of high-risk T1 tumors and high prevalence of prognostic factors of poor survival.

[Ultrasonography of cervical lymphatic metastasis in patients with laryngeal neoplasms]. / Ultrasonografia wezlów chlonnych szyi u chorych z rakiem krtani.

112 patients with larynx cancer underwent ultrasonography of neck lymph nodes to asses their metastatic involvement before surgical treatment. Evaluation of the nodes was also performed by means of simple palpation. Results of palpation and ultrasonographic examination were compared in terms of efficacy in detecting and recognition of metastatic spread within lymphatic system of neck. The final assessment was based on results of intraoperative exploration and histological examination. Results indicate that ultrasonographic evaluation is more efficient in recognition of metastases to nodes of neck then physical examination based on palpation. The authors concluded that ultrasonography as a simple and available method can be effective in detection of metastases of ca larynx to lymphatic system of neck.

[Results of treating endometriosis with infertility using operative laparoscopy]. / Wyniki leczenia endometriozy wspólistniejacej z nieplodnoscia przy zastosowaniu laparoskopii operacyjnej.

In the work, the efficiency of treating endometriosis by hormonal as well as combined methods, and employing the operative laparoscopy was evaluated. The study involved 89 infertile women with endometriosis being of various grade of advancement. Sixty women underwent combined treatment according to Samm, the remaining 29 were given hormonal therapy with Danazol and Orgametril preparations. After combined treatment full recovery was obtained in 26.7% of cases, improvement in 40%, but after the use of preparations Orgametril, Organon or Danazol, Winthrop, complete cure was reached in 12.8% of cases, improvement in 31%. Only 8 women became pregnant after combined therapy. Complete recovery concerned mainly less advanced endometriosis, particularly following the combined treatment according to Semm. Early laparoscopic diagnosis increases the chance of curing endometriosis and fertility associated with it.