Long-term urinary functional outcome of vesicourethral anastomosis with bidirectional poliglecaprone (Monocryl®) vs. barbed polyglyconate suture (V-LocTM 180) in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate urinary continence recovery following robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) using monofilament poliglecaprone (Monocryl®) suture vs. barbed suture (V-LocTM 180) during vesicourethral anastomosis (VUA). METHODS: In this prospective, observational cohort, data were collected on 322 consecutive patients. All patients underwent continuous, bidirectional, single-layer running anastomosis with either 3.0 monofilament suture (n=141) or 3.0 barbed suture (n=181). The primary outcome was continence recovery defined as time to 0 pad at one, three, six, 12, and 24 months following surgery. RESULTS: Continence rates were significantly better with monofilament VUA at all followup time points up to one year. Median time to continence was one month vs. five months in the monofilament group vs. barbed group, respectively (p<0.001). Continence rates in monofilament suture vs. barbed group at one, three, six, 12, and 24 months were 56% vs. 26% (p<0.001), 73% vs. 36.4% (p<0.001), 84.4% vs. 60.2% (p<0.001), 90.8% vs. 71.9% (p<0.001), and 93.5% vs.87.1% (p=0.1), respectively. Anastomosis time was shorter in the barbed group, with a median of 23 vs. 30 minutes (p<0.001). Patients anastomosed with Monocryl suture had smaller prostate weight (median 42.5 g vs. 50 g; p<0.001) and harbored less advanced disease (T2a-c 76.6 vs. 74%; p=0.01) relative to patients treated with V-Loc 180 suture. However, in a multivariate Cox logistic regression analyses, independent predictors of continence recovery were suture type (hazard ratio [HR] 53; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41-0.68; p=0.02] and prostate size (HR 0.99; 95% CI 0.98-0.99; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Barbed VUA contributed to delayed continence recovery compared to monofilament poliglecaprone suture during the first year post-RARP. However, no statistically significant difference was recorded at two years post-RARP. These results warrant special attention, especially with the widespread use of barbed suture in recent years.

Immunohistochemical assessment of basal and luminal markers in non-muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of bladder.

The Cancer Genome Atlas project introduced genomic taxonomy of basal and luminal molecular subtypes in muscle invasive bladder cancer. Fewer studies have addressed the molecular classification in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Our aim is to assess the applicability of the proposed phenotypic classification for NMIBC. Three TMAs were constructed from 193 TURBT specimens of 60 bladder cancer patients treated at one of the authors' institutions (1998-2008). Follow-up data on recurrence, grade, or stage progression was obtained. Immunohistochemistry was performed using an automated Ventana System for markers indicative of luminal (GATA3, CK20, ER, Uroplakin II, and HER2/neu) and basal (CK5/6 and CD44) phenotype. Marker expression was evaluated by 3 urologic pathologists. Using unadjusted logistic regression, we found significant association between tumor recurrence at next biopsy and CD44 expression (OR = 2.51, P = 0.03), tumor recurrence at any subsequent biopsy and ER expression (OR = 0.24, P = 0.04), and tumor grade progression at any subsequent biopsy and HER2/neu expression (OR = 0.24, P = 0.04). After adjusting for pathologic stage, we found a significant association between CK5/6 expression and tumor stage progression at either next or any subsequent biopsy (OR = 0.94, P = 0.006; and OR = 0.97, P = 0.02, respectively). Our findings suggest that individual immunohistochemical markers may be of value as prognostic factors in NMIBC.

Histopathological pattern of skin cancer in Western region of Saudi Arabia. An 11 years experience.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the histopathological pattern of skin cancer in Madinah region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: This is a retrospective study including all cases with a histological diagnosis of skin cancer diagnosed at the Department of Pathology, King Fahad Hospital, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, between January 2006 and December 2017. Data included  age, gender, site and histology of the tumor were collected from histopathological reports and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences  (SPSS) Version 21. Results: Among the 202 cancer cases studied in our series, there were 124 (61.4%) cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), 33 (16.3%) cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 14 (6.8%) cases of mycosis fungoides (MF), 12 (5.8%) cases of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) and 7 (3.7%) cases of malignant melanomas (MM). The male to female ratio for all cases was 2.2:1. The ages ranged from 5 to 100 years with a mean age of 60.1±15 years. The peak age distribution was in the 60-69 year group. The most common site involved in BCC and SCC was the head and neck (92.7% and 66.7%) respectively). Acral distribution of MM was seen in 57.1% of the cases. Conclusion: Our data based on the histopathology history in the Madinah region match that in the world literature and Saudi national studies.

Immunohistochemical Differentiation of Plasmacytoid Urothelial Carcinoma From Secondary Carcinoma Involvement of the Bladder.

Plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma (UC) is a rare variant of UC that can histologically mimic metastatic cancer involving the urinary bladder. A total of 45 cases of plasmacytoid UC were collected and reviewed histologically. The following immunohistochemical markers were performed: CDX2; polyclonal carcinoembryonic antigen (p-CEA); gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 (GCDFP-15); mammaglobin; estrogen receptor (ER); progesterone receptor (PR); GATA 3 and uroplakin II. In all cases, the plasmacytoid variant of UC lacked expression of ER and mammaglobin. In contrast, GCPDFP-15, PR, CDX2 and p-CEA showed positive staining in 11 (24.4%), 6 (13.3%), 8 (17.7%), and 22 (48.8%) cases, respectively. GCPDFP-15 was expressed in 4/8 female cases with 1 concurrently focally (+2) expressing PR. GATA 3 and uroplakin II was positive in 37/45 cases (82.2%) and 15/45 (33.3%) cases, respectively. A tissue microarray with 40 cases of infiltrating lobular carcinoma of the breast was stained for uroplakin II, and was negative in all cases. Tissue microarrays with 46 cases of gastric signet ring cell adenocarcinomas were all negative for GCDFP-15, ER, PR, GATA3, uroplakin II, and mammaglobin. A panel of stains including mammaglobin, ER, and uroplakin II is recommended to exclude metastatic lobular breast carcinoma to the bladder in cases where a conventional UC component is not present. Immunohistochemistry for CDX2 and p-CEA cannot be utilized to differentiate signet ring cell adenocarcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract from plasmacytoid UC; GATA3 or uroplakin II immunoreactivity can rule out a gastric primary given their negativity in signet ring cell adenocarcinoma of the stomach.

Significance of Gleason Score 7 With Tertiary Pattern 5 at Radical Prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To study the prognostic influence of tertiary pattern 5 (TP5) in radical prostatectomy specimens with a Gleason score of 7. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 4060 specimens with a Gleason score of 7 with and without TP5 seen between 2005 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Cases were subdivided into 3 + 4 = 7, 3 + 4 = 7 with TP5, 4 + 3 = 7, and 4 + 3 = 7 with TP5. We compared prostate-specific antigen, clinical stage, pathologic stage, and surgical margin status between the groups. The impact of TP5 on biochemical recurrence was also assessed. RESULTS: The median age was 68 years old with a median prostate-specific antigen level of 9.3 ng/mL. TP5 was present in 259 patients (6.4%) with a Gleason score 3 + 4 = 7 and in 361 patients (8.9%) with a Gleason score of 4 + 3 = 7. The mean follow-up without progression was 3 years. The presence of a tertiary pattern correlated with pathologic stage; the only exception was that there was no statistically significant difference between Gleason score 3 + 4 = 7 with TP5 and 4 + 3 = 7. Multivariate analysis showed that TP5 was independently associated with biochemical recurrence among patients with a Gleason score of 7 (P < .001). There was no difference between 3 + 4 = 7 with TP5 and 4 + 3 = 7 in terms of biochemical recurrence-free survival rate (P = .4). CONCLUSION: The impact of TP5 of Gleason score 7 in radical prostatectomy specimens is still significant using contemporary grading. Moreover, TP5 was independently associated with biochemical recurrence. However, 3 + 4 = 7 with TP5 behaves like 4 + 3 = 7 in terms of biochemical recurrence-free survival rate.

Acute necrotizing herpetic tonsillitis: a report of two cases.

The finding of herpetic tonsillitis is rare. Tonsillectomies are usually done for children with recurrent chronic tonsillitis, while viral throat infections are generally self-limiting. We present two cases: A 5 year-old girl, with atypical hemolytic anemia managed with Eculizumab, who presented with a pharyngeal infection and tonsillar enlargement that did not respond to intravenous antibiotics or antifungal therapies; and a 30 year-old man who presented with upper airway obstruction and fever; bilateral tonsillectomies were performed. Histopathological examination showed a necrotizing tonsillitis with numerous ground-glass intranuclear inclusions, characteristic of herpes viral infection, further confirmed by Herpes simplex virus in situ hybridization. Both patients were managed by intravenous Acyclovir, with dramatic improvement.