Focal or whole-gland salvage prostate brachytherapy with iodine seeds with or without a rectal spacer for postradiotherapy local failure: How best to spare the rectum?

PURPOSE: Salvage prostate permanent implant (sPPI) for postradiation local failure provides high rates of biochemical control. The cumulative dose delivered to the prostate and the rectum is still unknown. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We reviewed the postimplant CT-based dosimetry of 18 selected patients who underwent sPPI with (125)I seeds for isolated biopsy-proven local failure several years after external beam radiation therapy. Ten patients had whole-prostate sPPI, and 8 patients had multiparametric MRI-based focal sPPI. In 8 patients, hyaluronic acid (HA) gel was injected into the prostate-rectum space. RESULTS: The median cumulative biological effective dose after EBRT + sPPI for the prostate and the rectum was higher in patients treated with whole-gland sPPI than in patients treated with focal sPPI (313.5 Gy2 vs. 174.4 Gy2; p = 0.06 and 258.1 Gy3 vs. 172.6 Gy3; p < 0.01, respectively). The median D0.1cc for the rectum was significantly lower in patients who had HA gel: 63.3 Gy (29.0-78.3) vs. 83.9 Gy (34.9-180.0) (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Cumulative prostate and rectum biological effective doses were lower with focal sPPI. D0.1cc delivered to the rectum was significantly lower with HA gel, while there was no difference between focal or whole-gland plans.

Multiparametric MRI and post implant CT-based dosimetry after prostate brachytherapy with iodine seeds: The higher the dose to the dominant index lesion, the lower the PSA bounce.

PURPOSE: To determine whether post-implant MRI-based dosimetry of the Dominant Intra-prostatic Lesion (DIL) could best predict the occurrence of PSA bounce after prostate brachytherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We selected 66 patients with a low risk prostate cancer treated with (125)I prostate brachytherapy as monotherapy. Post-implant dosimetry based on day 30 CT-scan and multiparametric MRI co-registration was generated: planned D90, D95, V100, V150 values were calculated for each DIL. Bounce was defined as a PSA elevation ⩾ 0.2 ng/mL from the previous baseline value followed by a decrease to or below the prior nadir with no additional treatment. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 35.5 months (range 13.2-72.5), a PSA bounce occurred in 24 (36.4%) patients. The mean planned D90 of the DIL was significantly lower in bouncers: 196 ± 61 Gy vs. 234 ± 62 Gy, p = 0.018. The mean planned V150 of the DIL was 56 ± 32% for bouncers while it was 75 ± 30% for non-bouncers, p = 0.026. CONCLUSION: A lower planned D90 or V150 in the DIL were predictive of PSA bounce after prostate brachytherapy. PSA bounce could be caused by delayed cell death related to sublethal damage accumulation in the tumor.

Biopsy-confirmed de novo renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in renal grafts: a single-centre management experience in a 2396 recipient cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To study the natural history of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) development in renal grafts and their management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report a single-centre series of de novo RCC in allografts from a cohort of 2396 consecutive renal transplant recipients. RESULTS: In all, 17 RCCs were detected in 12 patients, representing 0.5% of kidney recipients. The mean patient age was 55 years and the time to RCC diagnosis since transplantation was 13 years. The mean diameter of the RCC was 23 mm. Biopsies were taken in all cases. Concordance between biopsy and surgical specimens was 100% for nuclear grade and pathological type. Four graft removals were performed and six patients underwent nephron-sparing surgery (NSS). Two cryoablations were performed. Overall, nine papillary RCC, five clear cell carcinomas, and one chromophobe cell carcinoma were removed surgically. The mean follow-up was 43 months. One local recurrence was reported in a patient treated by NSS. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support evidence that radiological screening of kidney recipients allows the detection of small tumours for which a conservative management by NSS or non-surgically destructive techniques can be proposed with mid-term oncological safety. Systematic tumour biopsy may help in the management and treatment decision. Several questions remain unanswered such as the importance of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors in the chemoprevention of the recurrence and the genetic cell origin of RCC in renal grafts.

[Study of the safety of double J ureteric stents]. / Etude de tolérance des endoprothèses urétérales de type double J.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic placement of ureteric stents was first described in 1967 by Zimskind. Few studies have evaluated the impact of double J ureteric stents on the patient's quality of life. This prospective study was designed to evaluate the safety and morbidity associated with ureteric stents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From February 2001 to June 2003, 115 patients (64 men and 51 women; mean age: 49.5 years [range: 19-90]) were included in this study. Ureteric stents were placed under general anaesthesia for urolithiasis (80 cases), ureteroplasty (25 cases) and extrinsic ureteric compression (10 cases). 28 cm 7F polyurethane stents were used in every case. Patients with double J stent for renal transplantation or pregnancy were excluded. The safety of stents was evaluated on the day of removal by a questionnaire based on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: The mean duration of stenting was 91.8 days (range: 10-287). Macroscopic haematuria was reported in 56% of cases, dysuria was reported in 36% of cases and urgency was reported in 78% of cases. The mean score on the VAS was 44 (0-100) for global impression, 41 (0-100) for bladder pain, 41 (0100) for low back pain, 62 (2-100) for low back pain during micturition and 32 (0-100) for straining on the stent. CONCLUSIONS: Double J stents are associated with high morbidity, which is sometimes underestimated by operators. Our study confirms that the duration of stenting must be as short as possible in order to improve patient comfort, which implies rapid organization of the aetiological management of these patients.

[How to avoid accumulation of stone fragments in the lower calix during flexible ureterorenoscopy]. / Comment éviter l'accumulation de fragments lithiasiques dans le calice inférieur au cours de l'urétérorénoscopie.

Flexible ureterorenoscopy combined with Holmium:YAG laser is an emerging technology that already has its place among the urologist's treatment options for the management of urinary stones. The main indication for the technique is renal stones, particularly lower caliceal stones. After mobilization of the stone in the renal pelvis or upper caliceal group, fragmentation is achieved by Holmium:YAG laser and the largest fragments are removed. When small fragments persist that are difficult to extract, the patient's blood is injected into the lower caliceal group to obtain a blood clot This clot then fills the lower caliceal group and prevents secondary accumulation of residual stone fragments, facilitating elimination of fragments towards the ureter. This article describes this technique.

[How to identify the neck of a caliceal diverticulum in flexible ureterorenoscopy]. / Comment repérer le collet d'un diverticule caliciel en urétérorénoscopie souple.

A caliceal diverticulum corresponds to a cavity communicating with the renal excretory tract via a neck. Surgical treatment is required when the caliceal diverticulum is symptomatic with repercussions on the patient's quality of life. A retrograde approach via holmium:YAG laser ureterorenoscopy has been recently used to treat the stone and externalize the caliceal diverticulum into the pyelocaliceal cavities. The problem raised by this approach is identification of the diverticular neck. The objective of this technical note is to describe a technique to facilitate identification of the diverticular neck.

[Comparative study of two latest generation flexible ureterorenoscopes]. / Etude comparative de deux urétérorénoscopes souples de dernière génération.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Miniaturization and development of flexible instruments have led to the development of flexible ureterorenoscopy. The objective of this study was to compare the capacities of active deflection of two latest generation flexible ureterorenoscopes and to evaluate alteration of deflection and flow of irrigating fluid in the presence of instruments in the operating channel. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two ureterorenoscopes were evaluated in this study. The Karl STORZ Flex-X and the ACMI DUR-8 Elite. Comparison of deflection movements was performed ex situ by super-imposing all active movements of the two ureterorenoscopes. Alteration of deflection was performed by alternately placing an extraction or fragmentation instrument of variable dimensions in the operating channel. Alteration of flow was also assessed in the presence of the same instruments. RESULTS: The ex situ deflection capacities of the DUR-8 Elite flexible ureterorenoscope were more extensive than those of the Flex-X, but it was more complicated to manipulate. Alterations of deflection and flow of irrigation fluid were comparable for the two ureterorenoscopes. CONCLUSION: On the basis of these data, we can confirm that the two latest generation ureterorenoscopes present comparable capacities, but different functioning modalities. We therefore recommend that each operator test the two ureterorenoscopes to become familiar with their manipulation. Other studies are necessary to evaluate the optical properties, ease of use in clinical practice and fragility of these new ureterorenoscopes.