Segmental ureterectomy can be performed safely in patients with urothelial carcinoma of distal ureter.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to compare oncological outcomes by surgery type (segmental ureterectomy [SU] vs. radical nephroureterectomy [RNU]) in a large cohort of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) of the distal ureter. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 219 patients with UTUC of the distal ureter among 931 patients with UTUC who underwent SU and RNU. Clinicopathological outcomes were evaluated. Cancer-specific survival (CSS), overall survival (OS), local recurrence-free survival (RFS), intravesical recurrence-free survival (IVRFS), contralateral recurrence-free survival, and distal metastasis-free survival were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression, estimating hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: A total of 179 (81.7%) patients underwent RNU and 40 (18.3%) underwent SU: 85 males (47.5%) with RNU and 17 (42.5%) with SU (p=0.568). The median age with RNU and SU was 71 years (range 31-86) and 70 years (range 46-90), respectively (p=0.499). The T stage of the two groups did not differ (p=0.122), nor did mean tumour length (3.35±2.62 vs. 3.25±2.14; p=0.953), grade (p=0.075), tumour necrosis (p=0.634), or followup time (months) (58.1±8.1 vs. 63.7±3.4; p=0.462). The two groups did not differ in CSS (p=0.358) or OS (p=0.206), and surgery type did not predict CSS (HR 0.862; 95% CI 0.469-1.585; p=0.633) or OS (HR 0.764; 95% CI 0.419-1.392; p=0.379). Local RFS was higher with RNU than SU (96.2% vs. 86.0%; p=0.02), but the groups did not differ in IVRFS (p=0.661), contralateral RFS (p=0.183), or distant metastasis-free survival (p=0.078). On multivariate analysis, SU was associated with local RFS (HR 5.069; 95% CI 1.029-24.968; p=0.046) and distant metastasis-free survival (HR 6.497; 95% CI 1.196-35.283; p=0.03). Local RFS was lower with SU than RNU for patients with pT3-4 stage (p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term oncological outcomes were equivalent with SU and RNU in patients with UTUC of the distal ureter. SU affected local recurrence survival, especially with advanced tumour stage, and distant metastasis survival.

Prognostic significance of the combination of preoperative hemoglobin and albumin levels and lymphocyte and platelet counts (HALP) in patients with renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the prognostic significance of the novel index combining preoperative hemoglobin and albumin levels and lymphocyte and platelet counts (HALP) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients. METHODS: We enrolled 1360 patients who underwent nephrectomy in our institution from 2001 to 2010. The cutoff values for HALP, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio were defined by using X-tile software. Survival was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method, with differences analyzed by the log-rank test. Multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model was used to evaluate the prognostic significance of HALP for RCC. RESULTS: Low HALP was significantly associated with worse clinicopathologic features. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests revealed that HALP was strongly correlated with cancer specific survival (P < 0.001) and Cox multivariate analysis demonstrated that preoperative HALP was independent prognostic factor for cancer specific survival (HR = 1.838, 95%CI:1.260-2.681, P = 0.002). On predicting prognosis by nomogram, the risk model including TNM stage, Fuhrman grade and HALP score was more accurate than only use of TNM staging. CONCLUSIONS: HALP was closely associated with clinicopathologic features and was an independent prognostic factor of cancer-specific survival for RCC patients undergoing nephrectomy. A nomogram based on HALP could accurately predict prognosis of RCC.

Prognostic significance of HALP (hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte and platelet) in patients with bladder cancer after radical cystectomy.

The outcome of bladder cancer after radical cystectomy is heterogeneous. We aim to evaluate the prognostic value of HALP (hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte and platelet) and explore novel prognostic indexes for patients with bladder cancer after radical cystectomy. In this retrospective study, 516 patients with bladder cancer after radical cystectomy were included. The median follow-up was 37 months (2 to 99 mo). Risk factors of decreased overall survival were older age, high TNM stage, high American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade and low HALP score. The predictive accuracy was better with HALP-based nomogram than TNM stage (C- index 0.76 ± 0.039 vs. 0.708 ± 0.041). By combining ASA grade and HALP, we created a novel index-HALPA score and found it an independent risk factor for decreased survival (HALPA score = 1, HR 1.624, 95% CI 1.139-2.314, P = 0.007; HALPA score = 2, HR 3.471, 95% CI: 1.861-6.472, P < 0.001).The present study identified the prognostic value of HALP and provided a novel index HALPA score for bladder cancer after radical cystectomy.

Partial nephrectomy for T3aN0M0 renal cell carcinoma: shall we step forward?

ABSTRACT Objectives: To evaluate the prognosis of non-metastatic T3a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with partial nephrectomy (PN). Patients and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 125 patients with non-metastatic T3a RCC. Patients undergoing PN and radical nephrectomy (RN) were strictly matched by clinic-pathologic characteristics. Log-rank test and Cox regression model were used for univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: 18 pair patients were matched and the median follow-up was 35.5 (10-86) months. PN patients had a higher postoperative eGFR than RN patients (P=0.034). Cancer-specific survival (CSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) did not differ between two groups (P=0.305 and P=0.524). On multivariate analysis, CSS decreased with positive surgical margin and anemia (both P <0.01) and RFS decreased with Furhman grade, positive surgical margin, and anemia (all P<0.01). Conclusions: For patients with non-metastatic pT3a RCC, PN may be a possible option for similar oncology outcomes and better renal function.

Partial nephrectomy for T3aN0M0 renal cell carcinoma: shall we step forward?

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prognosis of non-metastatic T3a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with partial nephrectomy (PN). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 125 patients with non-metastatic T3a RCC. Patients undergoing PN and radical nephrectomy (RN) were strictly matched by clinic-pathologic characteristics. Log-rank test and Cox regression model were used for univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: 18 pair patients were matched and the median follow-up was 35.5 (10-86) months. PN patients had a higher postoperative eGFR than RN patients (P=0.034). Cancer-specific survival (CSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) did not differ between two groups (P=0.305 and P=0.524). On multivariate analysis, CSS decreased with positive surgical margin and anemia (both P<0.01) and RFS decreased with Furhman grade, positive surgical margin, and anemia (all P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with non-metastatic pT3a RCC, PN may be a possible option for similar oncology outcomes and better renal function.

Preoperative Prognostic Nutritional Index is a Significant Predictor of Survival with Bladder Cancer after Radical Cystectomy: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: To explore the prognostic significance of preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in bladder cancer after radical cystectomy and compare the prognostic ability of inflammation-based indices. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data for 516 patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy in our institution between 2006 to 2012. Clinicopathologic characteristics and inflammation-based indices (PNI, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio [NLR], platelet/lymphocyte ratio [PLR], lymphocyte/monocyte ratio [LMR]) were evaluated by pre-treatment measurements. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test. Multivariate analysis with a Cox proportional hazards model was used to confirm predictors identified on univariate analysis. The association between clinicopathological characteristics and PNI or NLR was tested. RESULTS: Among the 516 patients, the median follow-up was 37 months (interquartile range 20 to 56). On multivariate analysis, PNI and NLR independently predicted OS (PNI: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.668, 95% CI: 1.147-2.425, P = 0.007; NLR: HR = 1.416, 95% CI:1.094-2.016, P = 0.0149) and PFS (PNI: HR = 1.680, 95% CI:1.092-2.005, P = 0.015; NLR: HR = 1.550, 95% CI:1.140-2.388, P = 0.008). Low PNI predicted worse OS for all pathological stages and PFS for T1 and T2 stages. Low PNI was associated with older age (>65 years), muscle-invasive bladder cancer, high American Society of Anesthesiologists grade and anemia. CONCLUSION: PNI and NLR were independent predictors of OS and PFS for patients with bladder cancer after radical cystectomy and PNI might be a novel reliable biomarker for bladder cancer.

Prognostic Value of Inflammatory and Nutritional Scores in Renal Cell Carcinoma After Nephrectomy.

INTRODUCTION: We compared the prognostic significance of inflammatory and nutritional scores, including the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) undergoing nephrectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data from 1360 patients with RCC undergoing nephrectomy from 2001 to 2010. The PNI was calculated as the serum albumin level (g/L) + 5 × lymphocyte count (109/L). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the cutoff values. The areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) were calculated to compare the predictive ability of the indexes. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: The median follow-up period after surgery was 67 months (range, 2-108 months). The PNI had the largest AUC for both OS and PFS. On univariate analysis, each index was associated with OS and PFS. On multivariate analysis, PNI, rather than other inflammatory and nutritional scores, remained as a risk factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.645; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.153-2.348; 2P = .006) and PFS (HR, 1.705; 95% CI, 1.266-2.296; 2P < .001). CONCLUSION: The preoperative PNI might be a good prognostic factor for both OS and PFS in RCC patients undergoing nephrectomy.

A Novel Predictor of Survival with Renal Cell Carcinoma After Nephrectomy.

PURPOSE: To validate plasma fibrinogen and serum cholesterol levels as prognostic factors for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and to explore the prognostic value of their combination. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Medical data for 1360 RCC patients after nephrectomy were collected. X-tile software was used to determine the cutoff values. The association between clinicopathological factors and fibrinogen and cholesterol levels was determined, and factors predicting survival were examined by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 67 months (interquartile range 36-74 months). On univariate and multivariate analysis, both preoperative plasma fibrinogen and serum cholesterol were independent prognostic factors of cancer-specific survival (CSS) and progression-free survival (PFS). By combining the two factors, we developed a novel index, fibrinogen-cholesterol (FC) score and found it to have better prognostic accuracy than the two factors alone. FC was an independent prognostic factor for both CSS (FC score = 1: hazard ratio [HR] = 3.207, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.775-5.793; FC score = 2: HR = 5.516, 95% CI = 2.891-10.527) and PFS (FC score = 1: HR = 2.178, 95% CI = 1.545-3.071; FC score = 2: HR = 3.709, 95% CI = 2.355-5.840). CONCLUSION: Both preoperative plasma fibrinogen and serum cholesterol levels are independent prognostic factors for CSS and PFS in RCC patients after nephrectomy. A novel indicator, FC score, could be considered a novel preoperative prognostic index in RCC.

[Clinical pathological features of small renal cell cancer: a single-center experience on 1 267 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of histopathologic features of small renal carcinoma. METHODS: This retrospective study collected the data of renal cell carcinoma from the patients who underwent surgery from January 2002 to June 2012. They were all preoperatively diagnosed as renal cancer by CT scan, and pathologically diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma after surgery with the diameter ≤ 4 cm. We recorded and analyzed the tumor size, histologic subtype, Fuhrman grading, TNM stage, the existence of tumor vascular invasion, sarcomatoid differentiation, and whether it was multifocal, and then grouped them for comparison. RESULTS: A total of 1 276 patients were included in the study and were analyzed, of whom 306 (24.0%) had small renal cell carcinoma less than 2.0 cm, 526 (41.2%) 2.0-3.0 cm, and 444 (34.8%) bigger than 3.0 cm. Of all the subjects, 1 158 (90.7%) suffered from clear cell carcinoma, 49 (3.8%) papillary carcinoma, 32 (2.5%) chromophobe cell carcinoma, whose distribution was not related with tumor size. Of the ≤ 2.0 cm and >2.0 cm groups, Furmann grades of G3/4 were 15 (4.9%), 98 (10.1%), respectively (P=0.007). T3a + stage and above were 1 (0.3%), and 32 (3.3%), respectively (P=0.004). Synchronous distant metastases occurred in 6 patients, all in group >2.0 cm. Tumor sarcomatoid differentiation (0.3% vs. 0.9%), vascular invasion (0.6% vs. 2.1%) and multifocal (1.3% vs. 2.7%) had no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Small renal cell carcinoma with diameter over 2.0 cm are more aggressive, suggesting that renal cancer bigger than 2.0 cm in diameter should not select a non-surgical treatment.

[Technique of renal pedicle control in transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy: experience of 191 cases by a single surgeon].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the technique of vascular control in transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy. METHODS: From May 2010 to September 2013, 191 consecutive transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomies were performed by a single surgeon. The operations included 116 radical nephrectomies, 57 nephroureterectomies, and 18 simple nephrectomies. Improved 4-trocar method was applied. Through lifting up inferior pole of the kidney by an assistant, and observing renal vascular from the bottom or back of the kidney, the exposure of renal vessels were improved. The renal vessels were managed with Hem-o-lock or Endo GIA. For tumors of stage ≥ T2, ipsilateral lymph node dissection of renal hilus was performed. RESULTS: Of the entire 191 cases,190 were performed successfully, only 1 converted to open surgery because of the difficulty in separating the tumor from the invaded colon. The average time of operation was 171.5 min (74-352). The blood loss was 5-1 000 mL with an average of 94.8 mL. The complications included vascular injuries (5 cases), cerebral infarction accompanied by acute renal injury (1 case), and pulmonary infection (2 cases). The mean postoperative hospital stay was 5.6 days (2-19 days). No perioperative death occurred. CONCLUSION: The reformative technique of vascular control could improve the exposure of renal vessels, increase surgery safety, and shorten the time of transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy.

[A prospective randomized control study: new rigid cystoscopy technology to improve patients' comfort].

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the extruded irrigation solution bag during passage of rigid cystoscope will reduce the patient's discomfort. METHODS: In the study, 378 male patients undergoing rigid cystoscopies were randomized into "Institute of Urology Peking University (IUPU)" technique group (n = 193) and routine manipulation group (n = 185). All the patients had received 10 mL oxybuprocaine gel before manipulation. In the IUPU technique group, irrigation solution bag was connected with cystoscope sheath and obturator. As the scope passed through the bulbar urethra, a nurse was instructed to extrude the irrigating fluid bag. A 10-point visual analog pain scale assessment was completed by the patient after the procedure. RESULTS: The visual analog pain score was 2 (1-2) in the IUPU technique group and 4 (3-6) in the routine manipulation group (P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test). All the procedure indications had no effect on the findings. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that a simple IUPU technique can significantly reduce the patient's discomfort during outpatient rigid cystoscopy. We strongly recommend this technique for all male patients undergoing rigid cystoscopy.

Prevalence of baseline chronic kidney disease in 2,769 Chinese patients with renal cancer: nephron-sparing treatment is still underutilized.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prevalence of baseline chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a large cohort of patients with renal masses in a single Chinese institution. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and CKD stage are more clinically relevant to predict the risk of morbidity and mortality in patients after nephrectomy. But, sCr reflects renal function poorly. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients undergoing kidney surgery between January 2002 and June 2012. eGFR was calculated using the modification of diet in renal disease formulas modified based on Chinese people. CKD stages I­V were defined using the National Kidney Foundation definitions. RESULTS: A total of 2769 patients had adequate data available to calculate a preoperative eGFR (mL/min/1.73m2) with renal cancer confirmed by pathology. Of all patients, 97.7 % awaiting surgery at our institution had a "normal" baseline sCr (≤1.4 mg/dL), and 3.2 % of patients had CKD stage III or worse. Of the 401 patients ≥70 years old, 16.7 % (67/401) had CKD stage III. CONCLUSION: Many patients with a seemingly normal sCr have CKD stage III or worse, especially in patients over 70 years old. Given the high prevalence of baseline CKD in patients with renal cancer, it is important to preserve renal parenchyma when treating them surgically.

[Surgical management and long-term outcomes of patients with renal cell carcinoma accompanied with venous tumor thrombus].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the surgical management and long-term outcomes of patients with renal cell carcinoma and venous tumor thrombus. METHODS: From Aug. 2000 to Dec. 2011, 140 patients underwent radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy in our hospital, of whom, 80 were with renal vein tumor thrombus, 41 with inferior vena caval (IVC), level I tumor thrombus (below hepatic vein), 13 with IVC level II tumor thrombus (above hepatic vein but below diaphragm) and 6 with IVC level III tumor thrombus (above diaphragm). The overall and cancer-specific survival rates were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier survival curve method. RESULTS: The follow-up information of the 114 patients was gained. The median follow-up period for all the patients was 20.5 months (1-96). In the last follow-up, 47 patients died. The median survival time for all the patients was 51 months. The median survival time for the patients with renal vein tumor thrombus and IVC level Ito III tumor thrombus were 57, 43, 40 and 27 months. The 5 year overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates for all the patients were 40.1% and 47.2%, respectively. The survival time of the patients with early tumor thrombus (below hepatic vein) was significantly longer than that of the patients with advanced tumor thrombus (above hepatic vein) (54.1±4.8 months vs. 26.9±5.7 months, P=0.049). CONCLUSION: Radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy are effective therapies for RCC patients with venous extension. The patients can obtain a relatively promising long-term outcome, which is comparable to previous western studies. Long-term outcome of the early tumor thrombus patients is significantly better than that of the advanced tumor thrombus patients.

[Prognostic and long term follow-up analysis of sporadic bilateral renal cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pathological feature, therapy and prognosis of bilateral sporadic renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: The data of 59 bilateral sporadic renal cell carcinoma patients diagnosed from Apr. 1986 to Dec. 2009 were collected. We retrospectively analyzed the treatment, pathological features, long term survival and prognosis factors of the disease. RESULTS: We found 59 patients with bilateral sporadic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the database diagnosed from Apr. 1986 to Dec. 2009. The median age was 56 years. Of all the cases, 37 were bilateral synchronous sporadic renal cell carcinoma and 22 bilateral metachronous sporadic renal cell carcinoma. Forty-three patients underwent bilateral surgeries, 11 unilateral surgery, and 5 no treatment. There were 122 masses in the 59 patients and 109 masses had pathological reports. All the 59 cases were RCC, and clear cell carcinomas was the main subtype (96.6%). The median follow-up time was 62.1 months (range 4-277 months). Thirty-nine patients (66.1%) survived without tumor recurrence, 4 survived with tumors recurrence, and 16 (27.1%) died. Kaplan-Meier curve revealed that the 3-year and 5-year overall survival rates were 83.5% and 81.1%, respectively; the 3-year and 5-year cancer special survival rates were 73.1% and 64.8%, respectively. The disease-free survival rates of bilateral synchronous and bilateral metachronous RCC were similar. Multivariate regression suggested that post-operative application of interferon-α and bilateral surgeries were related with a better prognosis. CONCLUSION: The main subtype of bilateral sporadic renal cell carcinoma was clear cell carcinoma (96.6%). Bilateral synchronous and bilateral metachronous RCC both had a long time disease-free survival. Interferon-α application after surgery and bilateral surgeries were related with a better prognosis.

Evaluation of efficacy and safety of sunitinib regimen in 22 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma: at least 12-month follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Sunitinib has been proved an effective new option for treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Analysis of clinical data of 22 patients, who were exposed to sunitinib for at least 1 year, was conducted to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of sunitinib for the treatment of mRCC. METHODS: A total of 54 patients with mRCC were treated with sunitinib malate, 50 mg/d orally, on a 4-weeks-on and 2-weeks-off dosing schedule in Peking University First Hospital. Treatment continued until disease progression, unacceptable adverse events (AEs), or death. Among them, 22 patients continued treatment for at least 1 year. The clinical data of these 22 patients were prospectively collected for analysis. AEs were assessed according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, Version 3.0. Tumor response was evaluated in accordance with the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. RESULTS: Median progression-free survival was 19.5 months until last follow-up. The best efficacy results achieved were complete response, partial response, and stable disease for 2, 9, and 11 patients, respectively. Objective response rate was 50%. The most common AEs were hand-foot syndrome (95%) and hypertension (91%). Other common AEs were thyroid-stimulating hormone elevation (82%), platelet decrease (77%), and loss of appetite (77%). Only one patient withdrew from treatment for cardiac infarction. Another nine patients experienced dose modifications or short-term suspensions. CONCLUSION: Long-term exposure to sunitinib malate showed encouraging efficacy in the treatment of mRCC. At the same time, the tolerability was good.

[Long-term follow-up and therapy of adult Wilms' tumor].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and analyze the treatment and Long-term follow-up results of adult Wilms' tumor. METHODS: Medical records for diagnosed Wilms' tumor in patients aged more than 15 years from Jan. 1970 to Dec. 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical presentations, stages, operative details, pathologic findings, adjuvant therapies and outcomes were analyzed. All the patients received regular follow-up, and particular attention was paid to the median follow-up period and tumor specific survival time. RESULTS: The records revealed the 10 patients with a median age of 33.5 year. Male and female were each 5. Left was 4 and right was 6. In the study, 80% of the patients had clinical presentations, and 30% of the patients presented with abdominal mass, and 30% of the patients had distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis. The number of the patients with tumor stages I,II, III, and IV were 2, 1, 4, and 3. One patient just underwent fine needle biopsy due to advanced tumor stage, and the others underwent surgical operations. The range of the follow-up time was 12 to 187 months, and the median follow-up period was 20 months. One patient lost the follow up , 5 patients died, 2 patients survived with tumor recurrence, and 2 patients survived without tumor recurrence. The median survival period was 42 months, and one patient lost the follow-up. CONCLUSION: The Long-term follow-up data demonstrated the poor prognosis of adult Wilms' tumor. Early tumor stage and the combination of operation, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are key factors to improve the outcomes.

[Evaluation of novel gene UCA1 as a tumor biomarker for the detection of bladder cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical utility of novel gene urothelial carcinoma antigen 1 (UCA1) as a urinary tumor marker for the diagnosis of bladder urothelial carcinoma. METHODS: A cohort of 180 cases of bladder cancer (including 94 cases in previous study), 144 cases of non-bladder-cancer individuals as control group (including 85 cases in previous study) from 2005 to 2009 were recruited. Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) of urinary sediments was performed to detect the expression of UCA1. RNasin was added to the urinary sediments collected after 2007 from 86 cases of bladder cancer and 59 cases in control group to improve the quantity and quality of RNA isolation. The parameters of sensitivity, specificity, area under curve (AUC) of ROC and its 95%CI were calculated.χ(2) test was used to compare the sensitivity of UCA1 with NMP22 and cytology in 116 cases of bladder cancer with the parallel data of UCA1 and NMP22 and in 108 cases with the parallel data of UCA1 and cytology. RESULTS: 95.4% of RNA was isolated successfully from urinary sediments after the addition of RNasin UCA1 was highly specific (92.4%, 133/144) and quite sensitive (84.4%, 152/180) in the diagnosis of bladder cancer with a favorable AUC-ROC of 0.898 (95%CI: 0.851 - 0.945). It was especially valuable for superficial G(2)-G(3) patients (sensitivity: 86.4%, 92.3%) at a high risk for muscular invasion. CONCLUSION: With a high level of sensitivity and specificity, UCA1 is a promising urinary marker for the diagnosis of bladder cancer.

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma: analysis of 53 cases.

PURPOSE: To discuss the pathological and clinical characteristics, treatments and prognosis of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (CRCC). METHODS: We developed a database that contained 1,870 patients who were diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and who underwent surgery in our hospital between 2002 and 2010. Afterward, the clinical and pathological data of 53 CRCC cases were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the 53 patients at diagnosis was 50.2 years (range, 21-88 years), and the ratio of male to female was 1:1. All tumors were unilateral and a majority of them (69.8%) were discovered incidentally. The mean tumor size was 5.8 ± 3.2 cm (range, 2-20 cm). Stage T1, T2, and T3 tumors, in accordance with 2004 TNM classification, accounted for 75.5, 13.2 and 11.3% of all cases, respectively. By histologic grading, 11.3, 73.6 and 15.1% of the tumors were G1, G2, and G3, respectively. Forty-one (77.4%) patients underwent radical nephrectomy, 12 (22.6%) underwent partial nephrectomy. Forty-five (84.9%) patients with follow-up results were alive after a mean follow-up of 34 months (range, 4-79 months). Tumor metastasis was discovered in 2 patients: one tumor metastasis was found in the liver 4 months postoperation, and the other was found in the lumbar vertebrae 47 months postoperation. No local recurrence was found. The overall survival rate was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: CRCC is an uncommon subtype of RCC, with a favorable prognosis. Chinese patients are seemingly younger at diagnosis. Prediction of prognosis is still difficult.

[Complete transperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the surgical skills and clinical value of complete transperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy. METHODS: We collected and analyzed the clinical data of 25 patients (14 renal pelvic carcinoma and 11 carcinoma of ulreter, right side 15 and left side 10) who underwent complete transperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy for the upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUT-UC) in Peking University First Hospital from May 2010 to April 2011. RESULTS: All the operations were successfully done by one surgeon with standard 4 or 5 trocars technique. The mean operative time was 150 min (120-180 min), the blood loss about 20-100 mL (mean 40 mL) and no severe complications observed. The postoperative hospital stay was 4-6 days with an average length of 5.5 days. The mean follow-up was 5.5 (1-11) months. One of 19 patients underwent trans urethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) for recurrent non-muscle invasive bladder tumor. CONCLUSION: Complete transperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy is a minimally invasive, safe and effective way to treat UUT-UC. The patients recover soon and have a shorter length of stay.

The nucleosome binding protein NSBP1 is highly expressed in human bladder cancer and promotes the proliferation and invasion of bladder cancer cells.

NSBP1 is a recently identified member of the HMGN protein family which binds to nucleosomes and regulates gene transcription through chromatin remodeling. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential role of NSBP1 in human bladder cancer. We examined NSBP1 expression in 114 surgically removed bladder cancer specimens as well as 11 human bladder cell lines by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis, and found that NSBP1 level was correlated with the increased tumor grade and pathologic stage, and lymph node metastasis. RNAi-mediated knockdown of NSBP1 in EJ cells, a bladder cancer cell line that overexpressed NSBP1, resulted in moderate decrease of cell viability, moderate blockage of cell cycle at G2/M phase, and decreased cyclin B1 expression, but had no effects on apoptosis. Moreover, NSBP1 knockdown led to reduced activity of MMP-9 but not MMP-2. Taken together, these results suggest that NSBP1 promotes the viability of bladder cancer cells through increased cell proliferation but not decreased apoptosis, and increases the invasion ability of metastatic bladder cancer cells through the upregulation of MMP-9 activity. Our findings not only provide a molecular understanding of the role of NSBP1 in bladder cancer, but also suggest NSBP1 RNAi as a novel therapeutic approach for bladder cancer.