Weekly low-dose docetaxel combined with estramustine and dexamethasone for Japanese patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: A low-dose chemotherapy consisting of docetaxel, estramustine and dexamethasone was investigated for its beneficial effect and feasibility in Japanese patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). METHODS: Seventy-two Japanese patients with metastatic CRPC were enrolled to receive docetaxel (25 mg/m(2) on days 2 and 9), estramustine phosphate (280 mg orally twice daily from day 1 to day 3 and from day 8 to day 10) and dexamethasone (0.5 mg orally twice daily) every 21 days. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 72 years and 64 patients (89 %) had ≥grade 1 anemia at entry. The median total number of courses administered was 8.5 (range 1-93). Forty-two patients (58 %) had a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) decline of ≥50 %. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 6 and 23 months, respectively. Fifteen patients (21 %) improved and 53 patients (74 %) were stable in their performance status. Of the 40 patients with bone pain, 25 patients (63 %) showed pain reduction. Among 71 patients assessable for their hemoglobin levels, 21 patients (30 %) achieved an increase of at least 1.0 g/dl. Of the 5 patients who terminated treatment because of ≥grade 3 toxicity, 4 patients had pneumonitis and one patient had anemia. Only one patient developed ≥grade 3 neutropenia. CONCLUSIONS: The low-dose combination of docetaxel, estramustine and dexamethasone is active and tolerable with beneficial effects on serum PSA levels, performance status, anemia and bone pain in Japanese patients with CRPC. This regimen is a reasonable option for elderly patients with bone disease at risk of hematologic toxicity.

[A case of liposarcoma of spermatic cord with a hydrocele].

A 59-year-old man was referred to our hospital with the chief complaint of painless left scrotal swelling. He was diagnosed with left hydrocele testis and underwent puncture of hydrocele. Radical hydrocelectomy was performed because of its frequent recurrence in a short period. A hard mass was found across the spermatic cord during the operation. The mass was removed, and histopathological examination revealed a well-differentiated liposarcoma. This was the 107th case of liposarcoma of the spermatic cord and the 3rd case with a hydrocele.

[An unusual case of cystic nephroma protruding into the renal pelvis].

Cystic nephroma is a relatively rare and benign renal lesion of uncertain etiology. Approximately 200 cases have been described, but only a few cases of cystic nephroma with prominent renal pelvis involvement have been reported. Here, we report an unusual case of cystic nephroma that protruded into the renal pelvis. A 45-year-old woman hospitalized because of a right renal mass detected on clinical examination. The diagnosis of a malignant or benign lesion was not clear. A right nephroureterectomy was performed. The characteristics of the resected specimen were consistent with those of cystic nephroma. Macroscopic examination revealed that the giant lesion originated from the upper renal pelvis and extended into the renal pelvis. The patient is currently free from disease at eight months after the surgery. In general, this tumor arises from the renal parenchyma. To our knowledge, this is the fifth case report on cystic nephroma with prominent renal pelvis involvement.

[A case of retroperitoneal myxofibrosarcoma].

A 63-year-old man presented to our hospital suffering from dull pain in his right flank and general malaise.Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a 21X14 cm retroperitoneal tumor adjacent to the right kidney. He underwent extirpation of the tumor,which weighed 2,900 g. Histopathological diagnosis was high-grade myxofibrosarcoma. Six months after initial surgery,CT revealed isolated metastasis in the upper lobe of the left lung,which was surgically treated. Eleven months after the original tumor excision, CT revealed lymph node metastasis dorsal to the inferior vena cava,which was also removed. Because he refused to receive adjuvant chemotherapy,he was observed for 2 months until CT revealed multiple liver metastases and para-aortic lymph node metastasis. He underwent 1 cycle of combined chemotherapy with doxorubicin and carboplatin,but metastatic lesions grew larger rapidly and his general state became too poor to continue chemotherapy. He is under best supportive care 17 months after the initial surgery.

Chondroid syringoma of the scrotum.

A 70-year-old Japanese man complained of a nodular, non-tender scrotal mass, which had been gradually increasing in size over the last 10 years. Excisional biopsy of the scrotal specimen revealed chondroid syringoma, a very rare benign tumor, more likely to occur in the head and neck region. This is the eighth such case reported, and is an important type of scrotal tumor.

[Experitoneal bladder perforation due to in-dwelling urethral catheter successfully treated by urethral drainage: a case report].

Perforation of the bladder related to long-term indwelling urethral catheter is a rare and serious complication. A 85-year-old man with an indwelling urethral catheter presented severe hematuria, abdominal pain with rebound tenderness and muscular tension over the suprapubic area after the exchange of the urethral catheter. Computed tomography and cystogram revealed experitoneal bladder perforation due to indwelling catheter. Three weeks after the indwelling urethral catheter had been placed, the perforation was closed. In most cases, laparotomy and suprapubic cystostomy are performed. We describe the case of experitoneal bladder perforation successfully treated by urethral drainage.

[Case report: a case of localized amyloidosis of the ureter].

A 78-year-old man visited our hospital with a chief complaint ofmacrohematuria in January 2006. Ultrasonography and computed tomography showed left hydronephroureter due to the enhanced tumor which was 10 mm in diameter in the lower ureter. Urine cytology was Class II. Retrograde pyelography could not be performed because of severe pain and hematuria. We considered the possibility of the malignant neoplasm and performed left total ureteronephrectomy in March 2007. The mucosa of the ureter was thickened and sclerosed. Microscopic appearance of the surgical specimen shows non-structural fibrosis and stained red with Congo-red stain. So amyloidosis of the ureter was suspected. After the systemic examination, the diagnosis was localized amyloidosis of the ureter. After 8 months, recurrence has not been pointed out.

[Case report: a case with small cell carcinoma of the bladder transformed from urothelial carcinoma].

A 69 year-old woman visited our hospital with a chief complaint of macrohematuria in April 2004. She was diagnosed with bladder tumor. She underwent transurethral resection ofbladdar tumor three times and right partial ureterectomy for ureteral tumor following primary bladder carcinoma. All pathological findings demonstrated that the tumor was urothelial carcinoma (UC), G1-G2, pT1 including right ureteral tumor. In spite of intravesical instillation of BCG, recurrent invasive bladder tumor was found in June 2006. In July 2006, we performed total cystectomy and construction of ileal conduit. Surgical specimen revealed small cell carcinoma and immunohistochemical staining with NSE and synaptophysin was positive. On day 67 after operation, the patient died of multiple metastases to liver and bone.

[Case report: collecting (Bellini) duct carcinoma during the follow-up for bladder cancer].

A 78-year-old man had undergone transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-Bt) 6 times since he was diagnosed as having bladder cancer. Past histology was urothelial carcinoma, pTa, G1-G2. During the follow-up, recurrent bladder cancer was found. Enhanced computed tomography and drip infusion pyelography revealed pelvic cancer with tumor embolus in the inferior vena cava. Therefore, TUR-Bt and total ureteronephrectomy with removal of the thrombus from the vena cava was performed. The histopathological diagnosis was urothelial carcinoma of the bladder and Bellini duct carcinoma of the kidney, but in immunohistostaining surgical specimen of both bladder and kidney showed some similarities. This disease is rare. Several reports indicate an association between Bellini and urothelial carcinoma. We describe the case of the Bellini duct carcinoma of the kidney during the follow-up for bladder cancer with possibility of the association between Bellini and urothelial carcinoma.

Prostate cancer mediates osteoclastogenesis through two different pathways.

The present study was undertaken to test the effects of prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP, DU145, PC3, and MDA PCa 2b) on osteoclastogenesis. Crude conditioned medium (CM) from all four prostate cancer cell lines enhanced expression of the mRNA for receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) in a mouse osteoblast cell line, MC3T3-E1; however, CM had no effect on expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG) mRNA. Coculture of MC3T3-E1 with prostate cancer cells yielded similar results. The number of mature osteoclasts induced by soluble RANKL increased significantly when osteoclast precursor cells were cultured with CM from LNCaP and DU145 cells. CM from LNCaP and DU145 cells also induced maturation from precursor in the absence of soluble RANKL, and this effect was not blocked by OPG. Addition of CM from DU145 cells increased expression of MMP-9 mRNA by osteoclast precursors. Our findings indicate that prostate cancer mediates osteoclastogenesis through induction of RANKL expression by osteoblasts and through direct actions on osteoclast precursors mediated by some factors other than RANKL.

[2,8-dihydoroxyadenine (DHA) urolithiasis: a case report].

We report a case of 2,8-dihydroxyadenine (DHA) urolithiasis in a 28-year old female. She was admitted to our hospital complaining of a sudden pain in the left lumbar region. Abdominal X-ray (kidney-ureter-bladder; KUB) and computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a radiolucent left ureteral (8 x 6 mm2) and a renal (15 x 10 mm2) stone. In the repetitive procedure of transurethral ureterolithothripsy (TUL) and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), the stones had been removed successfully. The spectrophotometric analysis of the stone fragments revealed an absorption spectrum for 2,8-DHA. Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) enzyme activity was lowered to 0.8 nmol/hr/mg protein. Thus, we diagnosed the illness as 2,8-DHA urolithiasis originating from APRT deficiency. A molecular analysis of the APRT gene by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method revealed the genotype to be APRT*J/APRT*Q0.

[Intraarterial chemotherapy with bladder preservation in patients with invasive bladder carcinoma].

Intraarterial chemotherapy (IAC) was carried out on patients with invasive bladder carcinoma to treat the bladder carcinoma while preserving the bladder. Fifteen patients with bladder carcinoma at stage T2-T4 were treated with intraarterial cisplatin (CDDP: 70 mg/m2) and adriamycin (ADM: 30 mg/m2) every 3 to 4 weeks. The response was observed in all 15 patients. Ten (66.7%) achieved a complete response (CR), and 3 (20.0%) obtained a partial response (PR). With a mean follow-up of 22.6 months, the overall survival rate was 86.7% and 12 patients were alive with functioning bladder. One patient received radical cystectomy. Although further studies and long-term follow up are required to clarify its effectiveness, IAC for patients with invasive bladder carcinoma might be an effective therapy with a preserved bladder.

[Hormonal chemotherapy for hormone-refractory prostate cancer].

To our knowledge, no standard chemotherapy for patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) has been established. Since most patients with HRPC are elderly and have bone metastasis, cytotoxic chemotherapy causes them to be at high risk for myelosuppression. Therefore, chemotherapeutic agents with low toxicity and good compliance should be elected. We conducted three regimens for HRPC on an outpatient basis. Eligibility criteria were defined as serial rising PSA values on 3 or more occasions at least 2 weeks apart or radiological new or extensive lesions under hormonal therapy. The first regimen is comprised of cyclophosphamide (CPM), 100 mg/day, UFT, 400 mg/day, and estramustine phosphate (EMP), 560 mg/day in two daily fractions. The second regimen is comprised of an oral administration of dexamethasone (DEX) (0.5-2 mg/day). The third regimen is comprised of DEX, 1 mg/day, cyclophosphamide, 100 mg/day and UFT, 400 mg/day in two daily fractions. Post-therapy prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level in serum, objective response on bone scan or measurable disease, and symptomatic response on bone pain were assessed. All regimens showed clinical efficacy with mild toxicity. Indications and limitations of these regimens are discussed. Further, the combination trials of taxane and EMP in patients with HRPC are reviewed.