Adenocarcinoma of the prostate: innovations in management.

Adenocarcinoma of the prostate (CaP) in the Western world has become the most common noncutaneous human tumor. CaP is also the second most important cause of cancer deaths among the male population in the United States. Major progress was made in the past decade in better understanding this disease process, as well as in improved diagnostic accuracy. This improved diagnostic accuracy was due to wide application of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), use of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), and greater awareness among clinicians of CaP. The use of PSA in clinical practice has resulted in a sharp increase in the number of patients diagnosed with capsule-confined tumors. The optimal treatment for capsule-confined CaP is in the process of being defined. Radical prostatectomy in the United States is currently the most commonly applied treatment for younger patients. Excellent treatment results with a 10-year actuarial survival > 80% are readily obtainable in properly selected patients. Nerve-sparing procedures helped reduce the high incidence of impotence that occurs in patients after radical retropubic prostatectomy. Radiotherapy remains the other curative treatment method in the management of CaP patients, with long-term survival rates similar to those reported in surgical series. Due to the problem of frequent preoperative tumor understaging, a routine use of postoperative irradiation to the prostatic fossa produces an excellent (> 95%) incidence of local tumor control. Management of patients with metastatic disease has undergone a considerable evolution with the development of modern hormonal management and treatment with strontium-89 to control intractable bone pain. Newer treatment methods such as hyperthermia are currently being investigated. Major efforts are directed toward the reduction of short- and long-term treatment toxicity associated with surgery, radiotherapy, and hormonal management, thus improving patient quality of life.

Impact of autologous blood transfusions on patients undergoing radical prostatectomy using hypotensive anesthesia.

We report on a retrospective study consisting of 71 consecutive patients who underwent radical retropublic prostatectomy under controlled hypotensive anesthesia, examining the impact of a preoperative autologous blood collection program on perioperative blood requirements. The population consisted of 34 patients who elected not to use autologous blood (group 1) and 37 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy after storing 1 to 3 units of their own blood (group 2). Median operative time and estimated blood loss were not statistically different. In group 1, 20 homologous blood units were used by 7 patients (21%). In group 2, 37 of 41 units transfused were autologous units and only 3 patients (8%) received homologous blood. However, for every unit of autologous blood deposited preoperatively there was a corresponding decrease in admission blood concentrations and 21 of 37 patients were anemic at hospitalization. In addition, the study suggests that in many patients the anemia produced by preoperative phlebotomy does not resolve preoperatively. In response, the effectiveness of preoperative autologous blood collection is decreased by this preoperative anemia. Although inefficient, we nevertheless conclude that an autologous blood collection program decreases homologous transfusion exposure and efforts should be directed to increase the erythropoietin response to the anemia produced by preoperative phlebotomy. Presently, it is an expensive program that offers only a modest benefit for patients undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy.

Regional hyperthermia in patients with recurrent genitourinary cancer.

During a 6-year period, 53 patients with advanced tumors of the genitourinary tract were treated in Phase I protocols with deep regional hyperthermia in combination with irradiation (83%) or in combination with chemotherapy (11%). Primary tumors included those of bladder in 22 patients (41%), prostate in 20 patients (37%), kidney in 9 patients (17%), and ureter testicle or adrenal in 3 patients (5%). The majority (77%) had prior definitive therapy and had experienced treatment failure, and 11% had clinically important distant metastases. Treatment consisted of deep regional hyperthermia (mean of 4 sessions). In addition, 44 patients (83%) received irradiation (mean dose 39.2 Gy). The 1- and 3-year actuarial survival was 60% and 56%, respectively. Patients with carcinoma of the prostate had a 1- and 3-year survival of 82%. Complete response was observed in 7 patients (13%), partial response in 8 (15%), and nominal response in 13 (25%). Complete and partial response correlated well with histology of the tumor (adenocarcinoma), radiation dose (greater than 50 Gy), primary site (prostate, kidney), and treatment (hyperthermia-radiotherapy combination), (p = 0.02). There was no such correlation between response and thermal dose (p = 0.13). The treatment tolerance was good in 79% of patients. Treatment toxicity was limited to acute side effects, including pain during hyperthermia (47%), tachycardia greater than 140/min (7%), and blister formation in the treated area (4%). Phase II studies in previously untreated patients with locally advanced tumors of bladder, prostate, and kidney are needed for evaluation of the role of deep regional hyperthermia in the management of these cancers.