Enzalutamide versus flutamide for castration-resistant prostate cancer after combined androgen blockade therapy with bicalutamide: the OCUU-CRPC study.

BACKGROUND: Before the androgen target therapy era, flutamide was widely used for castration-resistant prostate cancer in Japan. Enzalutamide is currently the recommended treatment; however, the efficacy and safety of enzalutamide and flutamide after combined androgen blockade therapy with bicalutamide, has not been compared. METHODS: Patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer who received combined androgen blockade therapy with bicalutamide were randomly assigned to receive either enzalutamide or flutamide. The primary endpoint for efficacy was the 3-month prostate-specific antigen response rate. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02346578) and the University hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN000016301). RESULTS: Overall, 103 patients were enrolled. The 3- (80.8% vs. 35.3%; p < 0.001) and 6-month (73.1% vs. 31.4%; p < 0.001) prostate-specific antigen response rates were higher in the enzalutamide than in the flutamide group. The 3-month disease progression rates (radiographic or prostate-specific antigen progression) were 6.4% and 38.8% in the enzalutamide and flutamide groups, respectively [hazard ratio (HR): 0.16; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.05-0.47; p < 0.001]; the 6-month rates were 11.4% and 51.1%, respectively (HR 0.22; 95% CI 0.09-0.50; p < 0.001). Enzalutamide provided superior prostate-specific antigen progression-free survival compared with flutamide (HR 0.29; 95% CI 0.15-0.54; p < 0.001). Median time to prostate-specific antigen progression-free survival was not reached and was 6.6 months in the enzalutamide and flutamide groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: As an alternative anti-androgen therapy in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer who fail bicalutamide-combined androgen blockade therapy, enzalutamide provides superior clinical outcomes compared with flutamide. Enzalutamide should be preferred over flutamide in these patients.

[A Resected Case of Retroperitoneal Metastasis and Small Bowel Metastasis from HCC].

A 71-year-old man underwent right hemi-hepatectomyfor a hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)measuring 18 cm in diameter. The pathological diagnosis was poorlydifferentiated HCC. Ten months after the surgery, computed tomographyrevealed a nodule 12mm in diameter in the right lung as well as 2 nodules measuring 19 and 11mm in diameter in the retroperitoneum at the cranial aspect of the left kidney. Four months later, the nodule in the right lung had enlarged to 44 mm, while the 2 nodules in the retroperitoneum had enlarged to 68mm and 34 mm. These nodules were resected and histopathologicallydiagnosed as metastasis from HCC. Twenty-one months after liver resection, computed tomographyrevealed nodules 16 and 25mm in diameter in the retroperitoneum around the urinarybladder and jejunum, respectively. One month later, intussusception resulted from the jejunal tumor. Laparoscopic surgerywas performed for both tumors, which were diagnosed as metastases from HCC. Twenty-five months after liver resection, metastasis from the HCC appeared in the left adrenal grand, at the site of the jejunal anastomosis, and in the fattytissue around the right scapula. Twenty-nine months after liver resection, the patient died of respiratoryfailure from multiple metastases in the left lung.

Use of desflurane during anesthesia for resection of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Although various agents are used during anesthesia for surgical resection of pheochromocytoma, application of desflurane has rarely been reported. We report the use of desflurane in a case receiving resection of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma. CASE PRESENTATION: A 51-year-old female was transferred to our hospital for sustained hypertension. A diagnosis of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma was made based on increased plasma catecholamine levels and radiographic findings. Surgical resection was planned after controlling blood pressure. General anesthesia was induced with propofol and fentanyl, followed by maintenance with desflurane 4.3% and remifentanil 0.2-0.4 µg/kg/min. Blood pressure and heart rate were stable during induction, tracheal intubation, and tumor manipulation. Blood pressure abruptly decreased to 62/40 mmHg after removal of the tumor, which was treated with noradrenaline. The surgery was completed uneventfully and the postoperative course was also uneventful. CONCLUSION: Desflurane was safely used in combination with remifentanil during anesthesia for resection of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma.

Efficacy of naftopidil for nocturia in male patients with lower urinary tract symptoms: comparison of morning and evening dosing.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the difference in improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms between morning and evening dosing of α1 -blocker naftopidil. METHODS: A total of 177 male patients with nocturia were included in the present study and randomized to morning or evening dosing of naftopidil. The International Prostate Symptom Score, quality of life index and nocturia quality of life index were compared between the two study groups at 12 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 143 patients (morning group: n = 70, evening group: n = 73) were analyzed as a result of the dropout of 34 patients because of failure to give consent, adverse events and failure to attend. Nocturia, quality of life index and nocturia quality of life index at 12 weeks were significantly better in the evening group compared with the morning group. In a multivariate model, both the dosing time of naftopidil and the initial nocturia quality of life index were significantly associated with change in nocturia quality of life index. CONCLUSIONS: Evening dosing of naftopidil seems to be more effective in treating nocturia in male patients with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Treatment of bladder tumors and benign prostatic hyperplasia with a new TUR system using physiological saline as perfusate.

This article presents a new transurethral resection (TUR) system for use in endoscopic surgery. By using an electroconductive solution (physiological saline) as the perfusate in lieu of conventional non-electroconductive solution (Uromatic), additional anesthesia (e.g., obturator nerve blocking) is not required. The new TUR is carried out in an electroconductive solution such as saline, and because radiofrequency current flows from the resecting electrode through the perfusate to the outer sheath, no counter-electrode is needed. We have treated both bladder tumor and benign prostatic hyperplasia cases with this new system. Surgery was safely performed in all TUR-bt cases without requiring obturator nerve blocking. During both TUR-bt and transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR-P) using this system, tissue resection and coagulation equivalents were similar to the conventional TUR system. In previous TUR, preoperative obturator nerve blocking was necessary, and in some cases, incomplete blocking or complications occurred. When physiological saline is used as the perfusate, blood electrolyte levels are not greatly changed, even after extensive resection of the bladder wall; as a result, this new system is also cost effective because physiological saline is less expensive than non-electroconductive solutions and requires no counter-electrode. Thus, in comparison with conventional TUR, this new system is both significantly safer and more cost effective.

Theoretical study of the structure and optical properties of carbon-doped rutile and anatase titanium oxides.

The structure and optical properties of carbon-doped titanium oxides, TiO2, in the rutile and anatase forms have been investigated theoretically from first principles. Two possible doping sites were studied, carbon at an oxygen site (anion doping) and carbon at a titanium site (cation doping). The calculated structures suggest that cation-doped carbon atoms form a carbonate-type structure, whereas anion-doped carbon atoms do not invoke any significant structural change. A density-of-states analysis revealed three in-gap impurity states for anion doping. The optical properties of anion-doped cells qualitatively agree with the experimentally reported visible-light absorbance values. We ascribe part of the absorption to transitions from the valence band to one of the impurity states. These transitions should be able to promote photocatalytic reactions, because electron holes in the valence band are considered to be crucial for this process. Neither in-gap impurity states nor visible-light absorbance were observed in the case of cation doping. The effect of oxygen vacancies was also investigated. Introduction of oxygen vacancies into anion-doped TiO2 populates the impurity states and thus suppresses photocatalysis. The interaction of a doped carbon atom with an oxygen vacancy at a finite spatial separation was also carried out. The possibility of either a carbon-oxygen vacancy pair or higher carbon-oxygen vacancy complex existing is discussed.

Renal cell carcinoma with hemorrhagic cyst formation in a 4-year-old boy.

We report on a case of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with hemorrhagic cyst formation in a 4-year-old boy. The patient presented with asymptomatic macrohematuria. Abdominal ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a left renal complicated cyst, 18 mm in diameter. Renal malignancy was suspected, and left radical nephrectomy was performed. Pathological diagnosis was a complicated cyst filled with bloody clots, with a wall composed of RCC. No metastases to the regional lymph nodes or other organs were found. This is an extremely rare occurrence of such a small RCC that developed a hemorrhagic cyst in a boy of this young age. The boy is being followed-up without any additional treatment.