Estimation of the prevalence of asymptomatic pancreatic cysts in the population of San Marino.

BACKGROUND: There has been a dramatic increase in the number of pancreatic cystic lesions observed in the past two decades but data regarding the prevalence of cysts in the general population are lacking. METHODS: All the individuals who undergo CT at the San Marino State Hospital are residents of the Republic of San Marino; their demographic distribution is available and precise. CT scans carried out over 1 year at the State Hospital were reviewed for asymptomatic pancreatic cysts. RESULTS: 1061 relevant CT scans were carried out on 814 patients; 762 individuals were eligible for the study and 650 patients underwent contrast-enhanced CT. Thirty-five patients had at least one cyst at contrast-enhanced CT (5.4%). The prevalence of cysts increased with increasing age up to 13.4% (95% CI 6.6-20) in individuals 80-89 years of age (p < .001). Cyst prevalence was significantly higher in patients who underwent CT for malignancy (p = .038) but this difference was no longer significant in multivariate analysis. The odds of a cyst being present increased by 1.05 (95% CI 1.02-1.09) for each increasing year of age (p = .002). Approximately a quarter of the patients with cysts died within 1 year after CT from non pancreas-related disease. The estimated standardized age-adjusted cyst prevalence is 2194 per 100,000 people. CONCLUSIONS: The likelihood of having a pancreatic cyst correlates with increasing age, not with the presence of extra-pancreatic malignancies. The estimated prevalence of CT-detectable asymptomatic pancreatic cysts in the general population is 2.2%.

Variations in blood ghrelin levels in prostate cancer patients submitted to hormone suppressive treatment.

BACKGROUND: Ghrelin is a natural growth hormone segretagogue (GHS), involved in the biology of a number of diseases such as lung cancer and prostate cancer. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship existing between ghrelin and testosterone, insulin, and PSA in prostate adenocarcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A patient population and a control population were studied. The former consisted of 18 individuals, age range 50-75 years, with a primary histological diagnosis of prostate adenocarcinoma that were divided into two equal groups of 9 patients each. The control population consisted of 40 normogonadic healthy males aged between 23 and 77 years (average age 43). The first group was treated with oral bicalutamide with a daily dose of 150 mg, while the second group was treated with an intramuscular injection of 11.25 mg of leuprorelin every three months. Total ghrelin was measured with a radio immunological direct method using Phoenix's ghrelin human RIA kit. Intra-assay variance was 8.2% and inter-assay variance was 11.4% . Acylated-ghrelin was measured by applying an extraction method using C18 columns followed by radio immunological dosage with antibody and peninsula tracer. Intra-assay variance was 6.1% and inter-assay variance was 8.7% . All other blood parameters were analysed at the central laboratory of the S. Orsola-Malpighi Polyclinic in Bologna. PSA and testosterone were used to assess response to treatment. The PSA monitoring was achieved with a chemio-luminescence assay method (Roche Modular analytics E 170). Free T was also measured using a direct RIA kit (Diagnostic Systems Laboratories, Inc.). RESULTS: In the four months during which patients underwent pharmacological treatment, testosterone values varied significantly (p<0.05) in both groups. No variations (p>0.05) were found for ghrelin, acylated-ghrelin and insulin. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that in patients with prostate neoplasms there is no correlation between the variations of circulating levels of ghrelin and those of testosterone.

Liposarcoma of the spermatic-cord: description of two clinical cases and review of the literature.

Spermatic cord liposarcoma is a rare tumor; currently only 161 cases are described in literature. Natural history of these tumors is marked by the high local recurrence rate. Radical surgery represents the therapy of choice whilst uncertain is the role of regional and retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy as well as the usefulness of adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy. In this paper we describe our experience of two cases treated at our Department between 1995 and 2002 and discuss about the clinical management of this misleading tumor in the light of the several experiences reported in literature.

Preperitoneal prosthetic mesh hernioplasty for the simultaneous repair of inguinal hernia during prostatic surgery: experience with 172 patients.

OBJECTIVES: We report our experience with posterior preperitoneal prosthetic hernioplasty for inguinal hernia in patients undergoing concomitant pelvic surgery for prostatic pathologies. METHODS: 172 patients with unilateral or bilateral inguinal hernia underwent posterior preperitoneal prosthetic hernioplasty during pelvic surgery for BPH and malignant prostatic pathologies. RESULTS: There was no evidence of hernial recurrence after a mean of 30 months and no complications attributable to the hernial repairs, except for 1 patient who developed a small periprosthetic hematoma and 1 patient with a pelvic lymphocele, both spontaneously resolved. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior preperitoneal prosthetic hernioplasty for inguinal hernia combined with pelvic surgery for prostatic pathologies should be applied routinely by urologists because it is a relatively simple procedure and with a very low rate of complications and recurrence.

Development and validation of the BSP-BPH (Bononian Satisfaction Profile--Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) a "disease-specific" questionnaire for the evaluation of health related quality of life in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVES: Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) associated to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) are very common in middle aged and older men. Since BPH, and the related therapies have a significant impact on a patient's Quality of Life (QoL), the health related quality of life (HQoL) evaluation is becoming an important aspect to be considered. The present study deals with the development and validation of a BPH disease specific questionnaire (Bononian Satisfaction Profile - BSP-BPH), considering HQoL in patients seeking medical help for BPH. The innovation of this questionnaire is that the patients' scores achieved are related to their subjective satisfaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Questionnaire development: On the base of our previous experience with BSP-PC (a disease specific questionnaire assessing HQoL in prostate Cancer patients), of a careful review of other available instruments (SAT-P, SF-36, ICS-QoL, BPH-HqoL) and of three subsequent meetings with experts (10) and patients (20), we defined the ten life aspects mostly impaired by BPH. We created a first 72-item version of the BSP-BPH. Ten patients cross matched for age end education to our study population were asked to fill in the questionnaire. A 31 item questionnaire version, together with EuroQoL, an already generic validated instrument, was administered to 121 patients as well. Further meetings and statistical analysis defined the 18 items of the BSP- BPH. Questionnaire validation: the BSP-BPH was filled in by 435 patients enrolled in a campaign for detection of prostatic diseases held among the male population of Bologna. RESULTS: Questionnaire development: the participants' mean age was 63 years (N = 121); 47.1% had BPH. The 18 items were selected on the basis of the following criteria: a) r > 0.50, p < 0.05 (correlation test re-test); b) p < 0.05 (ANOVA presence vs absence of BPH); c) r > 0.50, p < 0.05 (correlation with EuroQol). Questionnaire validation: the participants' mean age was 63 years (N = 436). 16 patients with a history of neoplasia were excluded from our study. 21 were missing data. 45% of the sample had BPH. Principal component analysis identified 5 components: 1) satisfaction about sexual functionality (Cronbach alpha = 0.94); 2) satisfaction about social functionality (alpha = 0.80); 3) satisfaction about cognitive/emotional functionality (alpha = 0.82); 4) satisfaction about urinary functionality (alpha = 0.87); 5) satisfaction about physical functionality (alpha = 0.66); total Cronbach alpha was 0.88. CONCLUSIONS: The 18 items version of BSP-BPH questionnaire can be used as an instrument for HQoL evaluation in patients with BPH focusing on patients' subjective satisfaction. At the moment only the Italian version is available.

Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: oncological evaluation in the early phase of the learning curve comparing to retropubic approach.

OBJECTIVES: Radical prostatectomy is actually the gold-standard treatment for organ-confined prostate cancer. Since Schuessler et al. performed the first laparoscopical radical prostatectomy (LRP) in 1992 this surgical approach for prostate cancer treatment has been widely diffused among european urologists. In this study we report our initial experience with laparoscopic surgery focusing on the oncological assessments and comparing these results to those of the retropubic approach. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between March 2002 and November 2003, 50 laparoscopic radical prostatectomy were performed at our Institute. We reviewed the operative times, intraoperative complications, mean catheterization and postoperative hospital stay of these first 50 cases. Moreover during the same period a group of 50 consecutive patients underwent retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) and data were analyzed and compared to laparoscopic issues. The laparoscopic approach was performed according to the Montsouris technique. Patient age, Gleason score at biopsy, PSA and clinical stage of the two groups were compared. Positive margins of the two groups were compared in relation to their location and pathological stage. RESULTS: No significative statistical differences of age, preoperatory PSA, Gleason score at biopsy and clinical stage were observed between the two groups (p > 0.05). Also in post-operative data no significative statistical differences regarding the pathological stage (p = 0.54) and the Gleason score (p = 0.714) were noted between the two groups. In RRP group the pathological stage was pT2 in 28 patients and pT3 in 22 patients; in LRP group was pT2 in 31 patients and pT3 in 19 patients. The mean Gleason score resulted 6.16 in RRP group and 6.10 in LRP group. The number of positive surgical margins was low in both groups and the location was similar in retropubic and laparoscopic specimens. We reported 13 positive surgical margins in RRP group and 12 in LRP (p = 0.8). CONCLUSIONS: Basing on our initial experience with 50 patients we can affirm that laparoscopic radical prostatectomy can be performed with a lower morbidity and oncological results similar to the retropubic approach even in the early phase of the learning curve. Our experience could be useful to encourage all the urologists approaching laparoscopy.

A case of tumor of the penis: interstitial brachitherapy after conservative surgical therapy.

The neoplasms of the penis are extremely rare and have an incidence of 1400 new cases for year in the United States. Higher is the percentage of incidence in Africa and Asia (10-20%) and in some areas of Brasil where the cancer of the penis constitutes 17% of all the male tumors. In Israel this neoplasm is rare, less than 0.1/100000 menfor year, because in Jewish population men are circumcised prematurely. Recently it has been placed attention to the possible aetiologic role of human papillomavirus (HPV-16 and HPV-18) in penis carcinoma. In fact, in the tumoral cells, DNA of this virus has been found with a percentage that varies from the 30 to 82%. Traditional surgical approach is total or partial penis resection basing on the extension of the disease. This procedure is associated to remarkable psycosessuals problems that greatly affect the quality of life. We bring back a case with organ sparing conservative treatment.

BSP-PC (Bononian Satisfaction Profile--Prostate Cancer): development and validation of a "disease-specific" questionnaire for the evaluation of health-related quality of life in patients with prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common neoplasia in men over 50 years of age in western countries. Nowadays, since there are several alternative medical-surgical treatments for this cancer, health-related quality of life (HQoL) evaluation has become very important. The present study deals with the development and the validation of a questionnaire (BSP-PC), considering the HQoL in prostate cancer patients. The BSP-PC items are mainly related to the subjects' satisfaction. As far as we know, it does not exist any disease specific instrument based on such aspect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Questionnaire development: During three different meetings, with ten experts and twenty patients, we have defined the life aspects which are the most affected by prostate cancer. Subsequently we have created a first 40-item version of the BSP-PC. Patients were asked to fill in this particular questionnaire in addition to a generic and validated one (the EuroQol). A final 24 item questionnaire version, was finally achieved by other statistical analysis and meetings with experts. Questionnaire validation: the BSP-PC was filled in by 261 patients divided into 3 groups: "healthy" (57), "prostate cancer" (103), "other diseases" (100). RESULTS: Questionnaire development: participants' mean age was 59 years (N=71); 46% had prostate cancer, while 53% of the sample did not report notable diseases. The 24 items were selected on the basis of the following criteria: a) r>0.50, p<0.05 (correlation test re-test), b) p<0.05 (ANOVA presence vs absence of PC), c) r>0.50, p<0.05 (correlation with EuroQol). Questionnaire validation: participants' mean age was 68 years (N=261). Four factors were identified: 1) satisfaction about physical functionality (Crombach alpha=0.95), 2) satisfaction about sexual functionality (alpha=0.94), 3) satisfaction about social functionality (alpha=0.77), 4) satisfaction about urinary functionality (alpha=0.89); total Crombach alpha was 0.94. CONCLUSIONS: The BSP-PC questionnaire can be used as an instrument in the evaluation of HQoL in PC patients by principally considering their subjective satisfaction.