Efficacy and safety of dose-dense gemcitabine plus cisplatin as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dose-dense gemcitabine and cisplatin (ddGC) as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). METHODS: Patients with locally advanced MIBC (cT2aN0M0-cT4N1M0) who received ddGC between December 2017 and December 2023 were included. Regimens of ddGC with pegfilgrastim were administered every 2 weeks for 4 cycles, followed by radical cystectomy. The pathological complete response (CR) (pT0N0) and objective response (OR) (

Dose compliance of estramustine phosphate in neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy combined with degarelix acetate predicts the biochemical recurrence in patients with very high-risk prostate cancer who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant degarelix acetate and low-dose estramustine phosphate for high-/very high-risk prostate cancer. METHODS: Overall, 187 patients diagnosed with National Comprehensive Cancer Network high-/very high-risk cTanyN0M0 localized prostate cancer who consented to undergo robot-assisted radical prostatectomy after receiving neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy for 6 months were prospectively enrolled between December 2017 and March 2023. Adverse events, perioperative and histopathological outcomes, and biochemical recurrence-free survival rates were examined. Survival analysis compared the estramustine phosphate completion and reduction groups. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients discontinued neoadjuvant therapy in <5 months owing to adverse events (n = 34) or other reasons (n = 2). Eleven were excluded for being in the postoperative castration range. Of the 140 patients who underwent surgery, 124 continued with two tablets of estramustine phosphate and 16 with one tablet. Overall, 82 patients were very high-risk. Histopathological outcomes were significantly worse in the very high-risk group than those in the high-risk group. Very high-risk status and estramustine phosphate reduction were significant factors in biochemical recurrence in multivariate analysis. The biochemical recurrence-free survival rate in very high-risk patients was significantly lower in the estramustine phosphate dose reduction group than in the completion group but not significant in high-risk patients. Major adverse events were anemia (n = 174), elevated transaminase levels (n = 68), and deep vein thrombosis (n = 24). Severe adverse events included acute coronary syndrome (n = 4) and pulmonary embolism (n = 3). CONCLUSIONS: Dose compliance with estramustine phosphate predicted biochemical recurrence in patients with very high-risk prostate cancer undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy.

Necessity of prophylactic drainage tube in retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy with open distal ureterectomy: A matched-pair analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the necessity of prophylactic drain placement in retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy with open distal ureterectomy for upper tract urothelial cancer. METHODS: Between July 2011 and March 2021, 200 patients with localized clinical Tis-T3 upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma underwent laparoscopic nephroureterectomy with open distal ureterectomy. After removing the specimen, drainage tubes were placed on the renal beds and/or in the retrovesical spaces. Drain tubes were omitted for most patients after 2017. We compared the postoperative outcomes between the patients with drain placement (D+ group) and without drain placement (D- group) using propensity score matching. RESULTS: A total of 164 patients (90 in the D+ group and 74 in the D- group) were enrolled, and matched pairs of 108 patients were analyzed. There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications according to Clavien-Dindo grade in the two groups after the propensity score matching. There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative lymphocele (n = 5 vs. 9, p = 0.395) and symptomatic lymphocele (n = 1 vs. 1, p = 1) between the two groups. The length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the D- group (11 vs. 8 days, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: We found that omitting the drainage tube after laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy did not increase postoperative complications or lymphocele and shortened the post-hospital stay.

[Testicular Malignant Sertoli Cell Tumor with Long-Term Survival After Pulmonary Metastasectomy: A Case Report].

A 45-year-old man was referred to our hospital with a complaint of right scrotal discomfort. With a diagnosis of testicular tumor, right orchiectomy was performed. The tumor was histologically diagnosed as malignant Sertoli cell tumor pT1N0M0. A pulmonary nodule appeared, 53 months after the operation, and increased in size there after. Thoracoscopic left upper lobectomy was performed 64 months after the operation, and the pathological diagnosis was metastasis of malignant Sertoli cell tumor. No recurrence has been observed for 94 months after the resection of the metastatic lesion.

[A Case of Retroperitoneal Lymphangioleiomyomatosis].

Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a multilocular cystic mass extending from the level of the renal artery origin to the internal and external iliac artery regions in a woman in her 40s who presented with vomiting and diarrhea. A percutaneous biopsy was performed, and histopathological examination revealed bundle-like proliferations of spindle-shaped cells with oval nuclei in acidophilic cytoplasm. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for HMB-45, alpha-smooth muscle actin, E-cadherin, and estrogen and progesterone receptors; the provisional diagnosis was perivascular epithelioid cell tumor. Considering the patient's age and sex, the final diagnosis was primary retroperitoneal lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). She did not meet the diagnostic criteria for tuberous sclerosis complex and was considered to have sporadic LAM. As complete surgical resection was considered to be impossible and no lung lesions, which indicate poor prognosis, were observed, we decided to keep her under surveillance. The patient was asymptomatic, with no significant changes on imaging for 6 months.

[A Case of m0CRPC after Hormone Therapy for Pelvic Lymph Node Metastasis in which Salvage RARP was Effective].

The patient was a 63-year-old man with biopsy Gleason score of 4＋5 prostate cancer with an initial prostate specific antigen level of (PSA) 51.2ng/ml. On imaging examination, extracapsular invasion, rectal invasion, and pararectal lymph node metastasis were found (cT4N1M0). After 4 years of androgen deprivation therapy, PSA decreased to 0.631ng/ml, and then increased gradually to1.2ng/ml. Computed tomographic scan showed that the primary tumor had shrunk and lymph node metastasis had disappeared; so salvage robot-assisted resection of the prostate (RARP) was performed for non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (m0CRPC). Since PSA decreased to an undetactable level, hormone therapy was terminated at 1 year. The patient remained recurrence-free for 3 years after surgery. RARP may be effective for m0CRPC, enabling discontinuation of androgen deprivation therapy.

Comparison between 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic diagnosis and narrow-band imaging for bladder cancer detection.

BACKGROUND: To compare 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-mediated photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) with narrow-band imaging (NBI) for cancer detection during transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT). METHODS: Between June 2018 and October 2020, 114 patients and 282 lesions were included in the analysis. Patients were orally administered 5-ALA (20 mg/kg) 2 h before TURBT. The bladder was inspected with white light (WL), PDD, and NBI for each patient, and all areas positive by at least one method were resected or biopsied. The imaging data were then compared to the pathology results. RESULTS: The sensitivities of WL, PDD, and NBI for detecting urothelial carcinoma were 88.1%, 89.6%, and 76.2%, respectively. The specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for detecting urothelial carcinoma were 47.5%, 80.9%, and 61.3%, respectively, for WL; 22.5%, 74.5%, and 46.2%, respectively, for PDD; and 46.3%, 78.2%, and 43.5%, respectively, for NBI. PDD was significantly more sensitive than NBI for all lesions (p < 0.001) and carcinoma in situ (CIS) lesions (94.6% vs. 54.1%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PDD can increase the detection rate of bladder cancer, compared to NBI, by greater than 10%. Therefore, 100% of CIS lesions can be detected by adding PDD to WL.

[Risk Factors for Recurrence in Patients with Pathological Lymph Node-Positive Prostate Cancer after Extended Lymph Node Dissection in Laparoscopic and Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy].

From April 2007 to April 2018, we performed lymph node dissection in 305 cases of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and 202 cases of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy at our hospital, and there were 68 cases with positive lymph node metastasis (pN1). Of these 68 cases, we examined retrospectively 62 cases in which extended lymph node dissection (ELND) was performed. The median number of removed lymph nodes was 25 (interquartile range [IQR] ; 18-34) and the median number of metastatic lymph nodes was 1 (IQR ; 1-3). Postoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence was observed in 40 of the 62 patients. The median time to PSA recurrence was 24 months. After univariate analysis, PSA at initial diagnosis (iPSA) of 10 ng/ml or more, pathological Gleason score (pGS) of 8 or more, total number of lymph node metastases of 2 or more, and positive surgical margin (RM＋) were found to be riskfactors of PSA recurrence. In multivariate analysis, iPSA of 10 ng/ml or more, pGS of 8 or more and RM＋ were independent riskfactors of PSA recurrence (p＜0.05). In the cases without riskfactors such as iPSA≥10, pGS≥8, and RM＋, immediate postoperative adjuvant therapy may be avoided even with pN1.

Atypical oncologic failure after laparoscopic and robot-assisted radical cystectomy at a single institution.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of atypical oncologic failure in patients with bladder cancer, including peritoneal carcinomatosis, and recurrences at the port site and soft tissue after laparoscopic and robot-assisted radical cystectomy are not well characterized. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 52, 51, and 12 patients who underwent open, laparoscopic, and robot-assisted radical cystectomy, respectively, for bladder cancer from 2007 to 2018 at our institution. We identified techniques associated with atypical oncologic failure. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 29 months. Among the 115 patients, 29 (25%) experienced oncological recurrences, and 7 (6%), 12 (10%), and 23 (20%) had atypical, local, and distant recurrences, respectively. The laparoscopic and robot-assisted radical cystectomy groups had significantly higher incidences of total atypical oncologic failure than the open radical cystectomy group (p = 0.013), including six, one, and two patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, port site carcinomatosis, and soft tissue involvement, respectively. All 7 patients with atypical oncologic failure died of cancer; the median time from surgery to death was 9.3 months. All these patients were cT â‰§ 3 and had grade 3 disease. In three patients (43%), the pathological tissue contained variants other than urothelial carcinoma. Five (71%) were among the initial twenty patients. Four patients (57%) had histories of intraoperative urine spillage or bladder perforation during transurethral resection. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with cT â‰§ 3 stage, with pathological variants other than urothelial carcinoma, and those undergoing procedures that lead to extravesical dissemination should avoid laparoscopic radical cystectomy when the procedures are first introduced.

[Rupture of Adrenal Artery Aneurysm : A Case Report].

A 45-year-old man with severe left flank pain was brought by ambulance to our hospital early in the morning. On arrival, his circulation dynamics were stable. His urinalysis results were normal, and ultrasonography showed no hydronephrosis. Abdominal dynamic computed tomography (CT) showed a huge retroperitoneal hematoma suspected of hemorrhage from a left adrenal artery aneurysm. After 3 hours of absolute bed rest, the patient experienced episodes of anemia, decreased blood pressure and increased pulse. Recheck of CT showed bleeding into the peritoneal cavity. Therefore, the patient was immediately treated with transcatheter arterial embolization.

[Scrotal desmoid tumor in a patient with familial adenomatous polyposis].

A 46-year-old man presented to our hospital for further examination following a positive fecal occult blood test. He also had a painless, palpable scrotal mass that had been present for several years, but he had not previously sought treatment. Colonoscopy demonstrated multiple adenomatous polyps and colon cancer ; when taken together with his family history, these findings led to the diagnosis of familial adenomatous polyposis. A computed tomography scan revealed a right intrascrotal tumor, and the patient was referred to our department. Together with digestive surgeons, we carried out scrotal mass resection and colectomy under general anesthesia. On scrotal exploration, a large, solid mass was identified ; it was separate from the testis and epididymis. Although the mass was adhered to the surface of the corpus cavernosum penis, we were able to completely resect the mass along with part of the corpus cavernosum penis. The tumor was composed of abundant collagen fibers and mature fibroblasts. Histopathology revealed the right scrotal mass to be a desmoid tumor. The patient is alive with no evidence of disease 24 months after surgery.

Transvesical bladder diverticulectomy via bladder neck opening during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

INTRODUCTION: As bladder diverticula in older adults are often secondary to bladder outlet obstruction, bladder diverticulectomy is often performed with prostate treatment. Cases of sequentially performed robot-assisted bladder diverticulectomy and prostatectomy have been reported; however, performing cystotomy for each procedure may increase the risk of complications and prolong operative time. MATERIALS AND SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: We reported the cases of three patients who underwent diverticulectomy without additional cystotomy via the bladder opening during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in our hospital. DISCUSSION: This technique corresponds to a transvesical approach through the bladder neck opening. Hence, it is especially useful for well-visualized diverticula close to the ureteral orifice or on the posterior wall. Although other approaches may be better depending on the location of the diverticulum, it is considered a reasonable approach that does not require an additional cystotomy.

Safety of urethral preservation using urethral frozen section analysis in radical cystectomy.

Background: The objective of this study is to assess whether urethral preservation can be performed safely using frozen section analysis (FSA) of the urethral stump on urethral recurrence after radical cystectomy. Methods: Between June 2012 and July 2022, we investigated consecutive male patients who underwent urethral FSA during radical cystectomy for urothelial carcinoma. For FSA-abnormal cases, urethrectomy was performed, and for FSA-normal cases, the urethra was preserved. The diagnostic accuracy of FSA was assessed in comparison with the pathological findings of the permanent sections of the same tissue. Postoperatively, computed tomography and urinary cytology were performed as routine surveillance of recurrence. Results: Of the 77 patients included in this study, three patients with abnormal FSA underwent concurrent urethrectomy. The negative predictive value of urethral FSA was 100%. With a median postoperative follow-up of 38 months (interquartile ranges 21-71), no urethral recurrence was observed. Conclusions: FSA may be useful in determining the indication for urethrectomy.

[Primitive neuroectodermal tumor of kidney : a case report].

A 16-year-old man was referred to our hospital for asymptomatic gross hematuria. The findings of abdominal ultrasonography were normal. A month later, gross hematuria disappeared, and he was not followed after that. A month later, the patient was taken to our hospital in an ambulance for severe back pain and recurring gross hematuria. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a large right renal tumor with tumor thrombus penetrating inside the inferior vena cava. The patient underwent radical nephrectomy and embolectomy. The pathological diagnosis of the tumor was diagnosed as primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of kidney by immunostaining and gene analysis. We started adjuvant chemotherapy soon after the operation. However, at 10 months after, multiple pulmonary metastases were detected. The patient was treated with salvage chemotherapy, surgery and irradiation therapy as combined modality therapy. Nevertheless, he died 18 months after the diagnosis.

Impact of renal sinus protrusions on achieving trifecta in robot-assisted partial nephrectomy.

Objective: The objective of this work is to assess the relationship between the morphological characteristics of a central tumour and the perioperative outcomes of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN). Subjects and Methods: We retrospectively analysed the data from 186 patients with central tumours involving the renal sinus, who underwent RAPN in a single-centre study between February 2015 and June 2022. All cases were assigned a RENAL nephrometry score based on preoperative images. The shape of the protruding portion of the tumour was classified into four types: 'flat', 'spherical', 'single-hump', and 'complex-hump', and was independently assessed by two readers. The trifecta is defined as the warm ischemia time within 25 min, negative surgical margins, and no major postoperative complications. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with the failing trifecta. Results: Trifecta was achieved in 113 cases (60.8%), and the achievement rate in flat, spherical, single-hump, and complex-hump types was 83.3%, 74.5%, 64.3%, and 21.3%, respectively. Prolonged warm ischemia time was the primary cause of the failure to achieve the trifecta. The rate of positive surgical margins and upstage to pathological T3a was greater for complex humps while the rate of major complications and postoperative GFR preservation did not differ between shapes. On multivariate analysis for failing trifecta achievement, the complex-hump protrusion was found to be an independent positive predictor (odds ratio: 15.8; p < 0.001), whereas the height and width of protrusion were not significantly related. Conclusions: The degree of difficulty varied among central tumours, and it was not possible to precisely measure it with existing scoring systems. Complex-hump protrusions strongly correlate with failure to achieve the trifecta. Preoperative assessment of the morphology of protrusion is useful for predicting outcomes.

Effect of continued perioperative antithrombotic therapy on bleeding outcomes following laparoscopic nephrectomy and nephroureterectomy.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed to assess the impact of perioperative continuation of antithrombotic therapy on bleeding and complications in patients undergoing laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) and nephroureterectomy (LNU). METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study. Patients who underwent LRN and LNU between January 2017 and July 2019 at our institution were recruited. All patients taking antithrombotic agents continued taking them during the perioperative phase (AA group). Surgical outcomes of patients in the AA group were compared with those of patients who were not taking antithrombotic agents (NA group). The primary outcome was the rate of bleeding complications. Secondary outcomes included intraoperative estimated blood loss, transfusion rate, and complications for up to 90 days. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients were included in the analysis, with 36 and 64 patients assigned to the AA and NA groups, respectively. Patients in the AA group were found to have more severe comorbidities than those in the NA group, with a Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥5, totaling 14 (39%) and 12 (19%), respectively (P = .03). According to surgical outcomes, none of the patients in the AA group required secondary procedures for bleeding complications. Moreover, there were no significant differences between the groups in intraoperative blood loss, hemoglobin deficit, rate of perioperative transfusion, readmission rate, or high-grade complications. DISCUSSION: These results indicate that perioperative use of antithrombotic agents does not increase the risk of bleeding and can be considered safe during LRN and LNU.

Complete remission of renal cell carcinoma with lung carcinomatous lymphangiosis after primary therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors followed by partial nephrectomy for surgical consolidation.

Introduction: Cytoreductive nephrectomy has been used in combination with systemic therapy for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, although its efficacy in the era of immune checkpoint inhibitors remains controversial. Case presentation: A 57-year-old woman was diagnosed with left renal cell carcinoma and lung carcinomatous lymphangiosis (cT3aN0M1). After receiving combined immunotherapy, she achieved complete response for the lung metastases and partial response for the primary tumor. After five months of systemic therapy, she underwent partial nephrectomy to remove the primary tumor, followed by eight courses of nivolumab monotherapy. One year postoperatively, she remained recurrence-free. Conclusion: Cytoreductive partial nephrectomy for surgical consolidation may be a treatment option for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Surgical and functional outcomes of robot-assisted versus laparoscopic partial nephrectomy with cortical renorrhaphy omission.

To evaluate the surgical and functional outcomes between robot-assisted (CRO-RAPN) vs. laparoscopic (CRO-LPN) methods of cortical-renorrhaphy-omitting partial nephrectomy. Between July 2012 and June 2020, patients with localized clinical T1-2 renal masses who underwent CRO-RAPN or CRO-LPN were reviewed. The outcomes of the two groups were compared using propensity-score matching. Trifecta was defined as negative surgical margin, warm ischemic time < 25 min, and absence of complications of Clavien-Dindo grade III or more until three months postoperatively. The preservation rate of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was evaluated at six months postoperatively. Among 291 patients (CRO-RAPN, n = 210; CRO-LPN, n = 81) included in the study, 150 matched pairs of patients were analyzed. Compared to the CRO-LPN group, the CRO-RAPN group was associated with shorter warm ischemic time (13 min vs. 20 min, P < 0.001), shorter total operation time (162 min vs. 212 min, P < 0.001), less estimated blood loss (40 mL vs. 119 mL, P = 0.002), lower incidence of overall complications (3% vs. 16%, P = 0.001), higher preservation rate of eGFR at six months postoperatively (93% vs. 89%, P = 0.003), and higher trifecta achievement rate (84% vs. 64%, P = 0.004). CRO-RAPN contributed to shorter warm ischemic time, less blood loss, fewer complications, and higher preservation of renal function, all of which allowed this technique to achieve a higher rate of trifecta compared to CRO-LPN.

Effect of Continued Perioperative Anticoagulant Therapy on Bleeding Outcomes Following Robot-assisted Radical Prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of continued perioperative anticoagulant drug administration on bleeding and complications in patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. METHODS: Between January 2014 and January 2020, 620 patients with prostate cancer underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomies and were retrospectively reviewed. Fourteen patients who discontinued antithrombotic therapy were excluded. Among the 606 included patients, 31 continued anticoagulant therapy during the perioperative phase (anticoagulant group). The anticoagulant group outcomes were compared with those of patients who continued clopidogrel and prasugrel (thienopyridine group = 13), aspirin monotherapy (aspirin group = 61), and no chronic antithrombotic agent (control group = 501). The primary outcome was the incidence of bleeding complications requiring transfusion, additional intervention, or readmission. Secondary outcomes were the incidence of thrombotic complications, estimated blood loss, and overall complication rates. RESULTS: Among the 31 patients in the anticoagulant group, 20 (65%) used directed oral anticoagulants, 11 (35%) used warfarin, and 5 used combined aspirin. Only 1 (3%) patient in the anticoagulant group required postoperative transfusion, and none required additional interventions or readmission. No significant differences were detected between the anticoagulant and other groups (anticoagulant vs thienopyridine, aspirin, and control groups) regarding bleeding complications (3% vs 8%, P = .51; 0%, P = .34; 0.4%, P = .17, respectively), thrombotic complications (3% vs 0%, P = .70; 2%, P = .56; 0.2%, P = .11, respectively), estimated blood loss (200 vs 100 mL, P = .63; 175 mL, P = .64; 165 mL, P = .74, respectively), or other high-grade complications (6% vs 0%, P = .49; 2%, P = .26; 3%, P = .24, respectively). CONCLUSION: Perioperative continuation of anticoagulant use is feasible for patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.