Salvage high-intensity focused ultrasound for locally recurrent prostate cancer after low-dose-rate brachytherapy: oncological and functional outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the oncological and functional outcomes of salvage high-intensity focused ultrasound (S-HIFU) for locally recurrent prostate cancer after low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical phase II studies (2003-2015) included 50 consecutive patients with post-brachytherapy local recurrence treated by S-HIFU. S-HIFU was performed with post-external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) parameters and, since 2008, with specific post-brachytherapy parameters. Treatments were whole-gland ablation and, since 2009, hemi-ablation in cases of unilateral prostate cancer. The primary objective was to assess oncological outcomes: treatment failure-free survival, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and metastasis-free survival (MFS) rates. The secondary objective was to evaluate adverse events, continence, and erectile function. Kaplan-Meier analysis estimated oncological outcomes. RESULTS: In all, 13 patients were treated with post-EBRT parameters, 37 with post-brachytherapy parameters, 35 with whole-gland treatment, and 15 with hemi-ablation. The median follow-up was 4.6 years. After S-HIFU, the median prostate-specific antigen level was 0.3 ng/mL. At 6 years, treatment failure-free survival, PFS, OS, CSS, and MFS rates were 41%, 45%, 93%, 98%, and 80%, respectively. Post-brachytherapy compared with post-EBRT parameters reduced Grade 2-3 incontinence (34% vs 62%, P = 0.015). Incontinence, bladder outlet obstruction and Grade ≥III complications were significantly reduced with hemi-ablation compared with whole-gland treatment (14% vs 54%, P < 0.001; 13% vs 46%, P = 0.03; 13% vs 63%, P = 0.001; respectively). Before S-HIFU, 25 patients had a five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function score of ≥17, which was maintained in 48% at 12 months. CONCLUSION: S-HIFU for locally recurrent prostate cancer after LDR brachytherapy is associated with favourable survival rates at a price of significant morbidity. Dedicated post-brachytherapy parameters and hemi-ablation improve the safety of the treatment.

Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma: a report of 15 cases and a review of the literature.

Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinomas are low-grade renal epithelial neoplasms, which were first recognized as a specific entity in the World Health Organization 2004 classification. Forty-five documented cases have been reported. We present 15 additional cases that were incidentally discovered in ten women and five men, with a mean age of 53 years. The tumor is characteristically made up of large eosinophilic regular spindle cells separated by a myxoid stroma with intercellular alcian-blue-positive clear droplets. In peripheral areas, elongated tubules and papillae covered by cubic cells are found. Until this entity had been defined, pathologists used to classify these tumors as variants of solid papillary carcinomas with compressed and elongated papillae, metanephric adenomas, and sarcomatoid carcinomas. In the literature, cytogenetic data indicate various chromosomal losses and gains, but no loss of 3p or trisomy 7 and/or trisomy 17. In two cases, we demonstrate chromosomal loss involving chromosomes 1, 4, 6, 11, 8, 13, 14, 15, 18, and 22. In our 15 cases, immunohistochemistry favored a distal tubule origin (EMA(+), AE1/AE3(+), CK7(+), CK19(+), E-cadherin(+), AMACR(+), and CD10(-)). Prognosis was favorable in our cases, while in the literature, two metastatic cases were reported. Further investigations are required to determine the frequency and true prognosis of these tumors, which are easily identifiable morphologically.