[A case of metastatic spermatic cord tumor from acute myelogenous leukemia].

A 60-year-old man with a history of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) presented with a complaint of right groin mass. Three years ago the patient underwent an allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Owing to successful engraftment, remission was achieved for three years. Radiological examinations showed tumor in the groin area along the right spermatic cord (diameter, 30 mm). Right high inguinal orchiectomy was performed. On preoperative tests, there was no other organ metastasis and no recurrence of AML. Pathological examination demonstrated an invasion of AML in the spermatic cord. It was considered that this case was an isolated extramedullary relapse of AML in the spermatic cord after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. 21 months later, he is alive with no recurrence of AML. Isolated extramedullary relapses of AML after bone marrow transplantation has not been reported, it is possible that this is the first case of metastatic spermatic cord tumor from AML in Japan.

Evaluation of docetaxel plus estramustine in the treatment of patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of docetaxel-based chemotherapy in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). METHODS: Forty-six consecutive HRPC patients treated between January 2003 and March 2008 were included in this analysis. Docetaxel was given at a dose of 35 mg/m(2) twice every 3 weeks and oral estramustine concurrently for three consecutive days during weeks 1 and 2 of each cycle. During each treatment week, the dose of estramustine was 1260 mg on the first day, 980 mg on the second day and 840 mg on the third day. Patients were premedicated with 4 mg twice a day of oral dexamethasone for three consecutive days. Treatment was continued until evidence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were evaluated at least once every 4 weeks. RESULTS: Patients received a median of three cycles of chemotherapy. Of the evaluable 46 patients, 25 (54%) had a >or=50% PSA decline and 12 (26%) had a >or=75% PSA decline. Median time to PSA progression and overall survival time were 10.1 and 27.0 months, respectively. Median follow-up was 15.0 months. Major severe toxicities were grade 3 or 4 leukopenia in five (11%) patients. Mild toxicities included grade 1 or 2 nausea in eight (17%) patients. Two patients could not continue the treatment because of interstitial pneumonitis and a gastric hemorrhage, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Docetaxel plus estramustine chemotherapy represents an active and well tolerated treatment for Japanese HRPC patients.

Suppression of metastasis of rat prostate cancer by introduction of human chromosome 13.

AIM: Chromosome 13 is one of the most frequently altered chromosomes in prostate cancer. The present study was undertaken to examine the role of human chromosome 13 in the progression of prostate cancer. METHODS: Human chromosome 13 was introduced into highly metastatic rat prostate cancer cells via microcell-mediated chromosome transfer. RESULTS: Microcell hybrid clones containing human chromosome 13 showed suppression of metastasis to the lung without any suppression of tumorigenicity, except for one clone, which contained the smallest sized human chromosome 13 and did not show any suppression on lung metastasis. Expression of two known tumor suppressor genes, BRCA2 and RB1, which map to chromosome 13, was examined by reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction analysis. BRCA2 was expressed only in the metastasis-suppressed microcell-hybrid clones, whereas RB1 was expressed in all clones. CONCLUSION: Human chromosome 13 contains metastasis suppressor gene(s) for prostate cancer derived from rat. Furthermore, the RB1 gene is unlikely to be involved in the suppression of metastasis evident in this system.