[Plasmacytoid variant of urothelial carcinoma: a case report]. / Variante plasmocitoide del carcinoma urotelial: a propósito de un caso.

Plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma is an extremely rare pathological finding. We report our experience of one case. A 60 year old male with hematuria of two years evolution, with frequency and dysuria. A tumor was found and he received surgical treatment by TURB at first. The pathology result was a plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma. Subsequently a radical cystectomy with urinary diversion was performed. The patient received follow-up until his death.

[Is there a safe cold ischemia time interval for the renal graft?]. / ¿Existe un intervalo de tiempo de isquemia fría seguro para el injerto renal?

OBJECTIVE: It is aimed to characterize the true relationship of the cold ischemia time (CIT) with graft survival and with the principal post-transplantation events. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed 378 kidney transplants, studying the relationship of the CIT with graft survival using a univariate analysis according to the COX model and seeking the optimum cutoff according to the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. The relationship between CIT and the principal events of the post-transplant was studied using the binary logistic regression. RESULTS: The mean follow-up of all the group was 77.8 months (± 51 SD) and the mean CIT was 14.8 hours (± 5.1 SD). The univariate analysis revealed that the CIT was not related with the graft survival as a continuous variable (OR=1.04; 95% CI: 0.9-1.08; p>0.05). On establishing the cutoff at 18 hours, we found differences in the actuarial survival. Survival at 5 years was 91% with CIT < 18 h versus 84% with CIT >18 h. Each hour of cold ischemia increased risk of delay in the graft function by 10% (OR=1.1; 95% CI: 1.05-1.15; p<0.001) and also conditioned a greater incidence of acute rejection (41.5% vs. 55.3%; p=0.02) and less time to the first rejection episode (72.6 days±137 vs. 272.2 days±614.8; p=0.023) after 18 hours. The CIT did not seem to be related (p<0.05) with the rest of the post-transplantation events, such as surgical complications or hospital admissions. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, cold ischemia under 18 hours does not seem to negatively affect graft survival.

[Time-influencing factors for biochemical progression following radical prostatectomy]. / Factores influyentes en el tiempo hasta la progresión bioquímica después de prostatectomía radical.

INTRODUCTION: We assessed the time-influencing clinical-pathological factors for biochemical progression of an equal series of patients from a single institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 278 patients with biochemical progression following prostatectomy. We considered biochemical progression to be PSA>0.4 ng/ml. We performed the trial using the Cox model (univariate and multivariate) and using the Student's t-test to compare averages. RESULTS: With a mean follow-up of 4 (±3 DE) years, the univariate study showed a mean until progression for the Gleason score 2-6 in the biopsy of 824 days and 543 for the Gleason score 7-10 (p=0.003). For negative surgical margins, the mean was 920 days and 545 for positive margins (p=0.0001). In the case of a Gleason score 2-7 in the specimen, the mean was 806 days and 501 for a Gleason score 8-10 (p=0.001). Lastly, the mean for the cases with Ki-67 negative in the specimen (< 10%) was 649 days and 345 for Ki-67 positive (> 10%) (p=0.003). In the multivariate study, Ki-67 (OR 1.028; IC 95% 1-1.01; p=0.0001) and Gleason score 8-10 (OR 1.62; IC 95% 1.5-2.45; p=0.026) in the specimen, and initial PSA >10 ng/ml (OR 1.02; IC 95% 1.01-1.04; p=0.0001) were independent variables. Using these variables, we designed a predictive model with three groups. The time until the progression of each group was 1,081, 551 and 218 days respectively. CONCLUSION: The Gleason score 7-10 in the prostate biopsy, the presence of Ki-67, the positive margins and the Gleason score 8-10 in the specimen, and the initial PSA > 10 ng/ml are time-influencing factors until biochemical progression. Pathological Gleason score 8-10, PSA > 10 ng/ml and Ki-67 are independent factors.

[Study on the findings of an immediate renal gammagraphy and its effect on the survival of a kidney graft]. / Estudio de los hallazgos de la gammagrafía renal inmediata y su influencia en la supervivencia del injerto renal.

INTRODUCTION: We assessed the effect of the findings of the renal gammagraphy (99mTc-DTPA) taken in the first 24 hours after the transplant in the survival of the kidney transplant. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We retrospectively studied 413 kidney transplants carried out between January 1994 and December 2008, with emphasis on normal gammagraphic findings or alterations in the vascular, parenchymal and excretory stages, as well as their effect on the survival of the graft. RESULTS: Of the 413 transplants, 44 (10.7%) presented alterations in the vascular stage, 256 (62%) in the parenchymal stage and 269 (65.1%) in the excretory stage. The mean follow-up of the entire group was 72.5 months (± 54.1 DE). The univariate analysis shows that the survival of the graft is significantly less in patients with alterations in the vascular stage (OR: 3; IC 95% 1.9 - 4.9 p<0.001), in the excretory stage (OR: 2.5; IC 95% 1.5 - 4; p=<0.001) in the parenchymal stage (OR: 2.21; IC 95% 1.3-3.36; p=0.001). The multivariate studies of the gammagraphic variables that affect the survival of the graft show that the presence of alterations in the vascular stage (OR: 3; IC 95% 1.9-4.9; p<0.001) in the parenchymal stage (OR: 2; IC 95% 1.2-3.3; p=0.005) are directly related to survival. This data is also confirmed by means of the actuarial survival analysis of the graft at 3 and 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of alterations in the vascular stage and in the parenchymal stage of the renal gammagraphy immediately after the transplant are variables that affect the survival of the graft.

Prognostic factors and percutaneous nephrolithotomy morbidity: a multivariate analysis of a contemporary series using the Clavien classification.

PURPOSE: We stratified factors affecting treatment morbidity, compared the outcomes of percutaneous nephrolithotomy procedures from a single department and provided evidence of treatment benefits when percutaneous nephrolithotomy is performed in an expert setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since the department became a dedicated endourological center in 2002 we grouped all percutaneous nephrolithotomy procedures into those performed before 2002 (group 1) and after 2002 (group 2). The modified Clavien classification was used to score morbidity. Independent variables with an influence on complications were studied including stone size, operating time, operative complications, dilation device, urine culture, group allocation and lithotripsy device. Contingency and logistic regression were used for univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Of the 244 percutaneous nephrolithotomy procedures 68 comprised group 1 and 176 formed group 2. Statistical preoperative differences were patient age, the use of anticoagulants and positive urinary cultures. Group 1 had a complication rate of 56.8% and group 2 had a complication rate of 37.2%. There were significant differences between the groups (p = 0.007). Almost all complications were grade 1 to 2. On univariate analysis the influence variables were urine culture (OR 1.69), group allocation (OR 2.20), stone size (OR 2.28), dilation device (OR 4.8), lithotripsy device (OR 1.22), perioperative complications (OR 2.83) and surgical time (OR 1.87). On multivariate analysis the independent factors in the complicated outcome were stone size (OR 1.25), type of lithotripsy device (OR 1.35) and incidence of perioperative complications (OR 3.71). CONCLUSIONS: The dedicated setting for percutaneous nephrolithotomy at our center resulted in decreased operative time, more uneventful procedures and decreased hospitalization time. The modified Clavien morbidity score is a reliable tool for more objective outcome comparisons after renal stone treatment.

PET and prostate cancer.

The diagnosis of prostate cancer leaves some questions without answers. The different diagnostic techniques are limited in three situations: (1) staging of the tumour: identification of node involvement, (2) quantification of the tumour volume and its location inside the gland, (3) premature identification of relapse after radical treatment. These are the three problems that we need to consider in the diagnosis of prostate carcinoma. Imaging techniques can tell us the morphological alterations in the structures and organs. Positron emission tomography (PET) introduces a new way of identifying damage by counting metabolic activity. The tracers are substances that are marked with a radioactive molecule that is picked up more readily by the tumours. The presence of these substances in a set anatomic zone means higher consumption and therefore more metabolic activity. The radiotracer most frequently used in PET is glucose marked with fluoride 18. The first studies with marked glucose and prostate tumours started at the end of the 1990s. There are many contradictions in the results of these studies due to renal elimination, which produces an accumulation in the urinary tract and does not correctly show the prostate zone and iliobturator nodes area, and its capitation by zones with inflammatory process or prostatic hyperplasia. Choline is a substance that is present in cellular membranes. When it is marked with carbon 11, it changes to a new tracer. This radiotracer has affinity with prostate damage and allows the better differentiation of malignant from benign processes. It also has the advantage of the absence of renal elimination. Trials that used choline marked with carbon 11 (11C choline) are beginning to obtain very promising results. This union of a method that identifies metabolic activity with an imaging technique increases the sensitivity in the diagnostic test and can help find the exact location of the 11C choline deposits. The PET-CT combines the PET with computerised tomography. The 11C choline PET-CT is presented as a promising technique for answering the three problems mentioned above.

[Female incontinence: urodynamic evaluation]. / Incontinencia femenina: evaluación urodinámica.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the functional studies in women with stress urinary incontinence. METHODS: Emphasis is placed on comprehensive understanding of stress urinary incontinence in women as well as Urodynamic techniques and findings which apply to women with this condition. RESULTS: Although prospective randomized controlled trials to evaluate the clinical efficacy, cost-effectiveness and effect on quality of life of a pre-operative Urodynamic assessment are necessary, to date only Urodynamic Investigation (Non-invasive uroflowmetry, filling cystometrogram, valsalva leak point pressure, pressure-flow studies and urethral profile) provide enough information for treatment decisions and prognosis in cases of female urinary incontinence.

18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose-positron emission tomography in the evaluation of nonseminomatous germ cell tumours at relapse.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the performance of 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and computed tomography (CT) in the follow-up of nonseminomatous germ cell tumours (NSGCT) in the retroperitoneum. PATIENTS AND METHODS: FDG-PET was used 25 times in 15 patients diagnosed with NSGCT. At the time of diagnosis five patients each were in stage I, II and III. Five patients had pure embryonal carcinoma, two had yolk sac tumours, one choriocarcinoma and seven had mixed tumours. RESULTS: Eleven patients either presented with retroperitoneal disease or this did not disappear after chemotherapy. The results of both examinations coincided in 18 cases and were contradictory in the other seven, the difference being statistically significant (P=0.042). CONCLUSION: In these patients FDG-PET detected the retroperitoneal relapse of NSGCT, in advanced stages treated with surgery plus chemotherapy, earlier than did CT; it also detected the presence of mature teratoma in residual retroperitoneal masses more accurately than CT. More extensive trials are needed before making conclusions about FDG-PET imaging as a routine method for NSGCT.

[Renal lithiasis due to indinavir]. / Litiasis renal secundaria a indinavir.

Indinavir sulphate is a protease inhibitor that has been found to be extremely effective in increasing CD4+ cell counts and in decreasing HIV-RNA titers in patients with HIV and AIDS. However, patients receiving indinavir also have been noted to have a significant risk of developing urolithiasis. Indinavir has high urinary excretion with poor solubility in a physiologic pH solution. The typical symptoms of indinavir urolithiasis are similar to other forms of urolithiasis. Indinavir urolithiasis is unique in that computed tomography, which was once thought to be efficacious in identifying all urinary calculi, is not useful in imaging stones that are composed of pure indinavir. Indinavir urolithiasis generally responds to a conservative regimen of hydration, pain control, and temporary discontinuation of the medication. Only a minority of patients need surgical intervention.

[Molecular biology of bladder cancer]. / Biología molecular del cáncer vesical.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors that influence tumor progression and response to therapy. METHODS: The new prognostic factors involved in the progression of bladder tumors that have been described in the literature, such as tumor antigen expression, molecular growth factors, cell adhesion molecules, oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes and mechanisms of tumor angiogenesis, are reviewed. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: The etiopathogenesis of bladder cancer remains unknown and treatment is based on the clinical stage of the disease. The new tumor markers will permit a more individualized prognosis and treatment can be instituted according to the biological characteristics of the tumor.

[Cystic pyeloureteritis]. / Pieloureteritis quística.

The pyelitis or cystic pyeloureteritis is a rare disease of unknown etiology. The clinic is unspecific and the treatment, medical and expectant. The importance of this disease consists of a correct differential diagnosis with other repletion defect imaging in the excretory tract and its frequent association to other diseases.

[Epidemiology of tumors of the renal parenchyma]. / Epidemiología de los tumores del parénquima renal.

Renal cell carcinoma is responsible for about 2% of all cancer deaths in developed countries and represents 80-85% of all tumors of the kidney. Its etiology is still largely undefined. Its incidence varies among countries, with the highest rates in North Americans and Scandinavians. Its incidence is steadily rising in the last ten years. The location of the tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 3p has contributed to the understanding of tumor pathogenesis. Renal cell carcinoma occurs nearly twice as often in men as in women. Patients are generally more than 40 years old at diagnosis, usually in the fifth to seventh decade of life. This tumor is more common among urban than rural residents, but it was not a consistent association with education or socio-economic status. Recently large epidemiologic studies showed an increased risk of renal-cell cancer in relation to tobacco smoking, with a relative risk of about 2 for current smokers. Other established risk factors are elevated body mass index (mainly in women) and a family history of the disease. Occupational exposure to chemicals appears to have little significance, although associations with specific products, such as asbestos fibres, have been reported. Some relationship has been observed between renal-cell cancer and hypertension, use of anti-hypertensives and kidney diseases, although this issue remains open to discussion. Data are inconsistent on the role of nutrition, mainly for fats and proteins, while vegetable and fruit consumption seems to convey some protection on renal-cell cancer risk. The risk of renal-cell cancer was not materially elevated in relation to coffee, tea and alcohol intake and, in women, oral contraceptive use, hormone replacement therapy, and menstrual factors.

Surgical management of retroperitoneal tumors with vena caval thrombus in the inferior cava using cardiopulmonary bypass, arrested circulation and profound hypothermia.

OBJECTIVE: It was our aim to review our surgical experience with retroperitoneal tumors extending to the vena cava by using cardiopulmonary bypass, deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest. METHOD: We performed this procedure in 15 patients. The ages ranged between 16 and 70 years. The primary malignancies were renal cell carcinoma (n = 13), Wilms' tumor (n = 1) and paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma (n = 1). RESULTS: There were no operative deaths. One patient died on the fourth postoperative day because of pulmonary embolization. The most common postoperative complications were: 1 patient required surgical reexploration because of hemorrhage, there was transitory renal failure in 3 patients, 1 patient developed a postoperative reactive psychosis and 1 patient developed a subclinical pericarditis. CONCLUSION: We believe that the resection of retroperitoneal malignancies with venous tumor thrombus extension offers, in selected patients, the only chance of reasonable long-term survival. The application of a cardiopulmonary bypass and hypothermia in high level vena cava thrombi is an important advance that has improved the safety and technical efficacy of a difficult surgical undertaking.

[Bilateral synchronous adrenal metastasis of renal adenocarcinoma]. / Metástasis suprarrenales bilaterales sincrónicas de adenocarcinoma renal.

Contribution of one case of renal adenocarcinoma with synchronous metastasis in both adrenal glands. Treatment was radical surgery with palliative resolution and steroid replacement therapy. Brief comments on this uncommon clinical situation and review of other author's experience.

[Urothelial inverted papilloma]. / Papiloma invertido urotelial.

Review of 60 cases of inverted urothelial papilloma published in our country in different urological journals. Analysis of clinical, diagnostic and therapeutical issues. Also an analysis is made of the possible association with other neoplasias or their malignant development.

[Multivariate analysis of graft survival prognostic factors in renal transplantation]. / Análisis multivariado de los factores pronósticos en la supervivencia del injerto en el trasplante renal.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to identify the variables that could be of interest in the outcome of a series of cadaveric kidney transplantation performed at the University Hospital, Navarra School of Medicine, by means of multifactorial and multivariate statistical analyses. METHOD: We analyzed 307 cadaveric kidney transplantation performed since 1976 at the University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Navarra. Two series are included: the historical and the actual. The former did not include cyclosporine A in the immunosuppressor protocol. RESULTS: The first step was to compare survival in both series. The cyclosporine A series had a better survival, which was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). The prognostic factors in both series were also analyzed. The influence of the different variables were studied in the survival distribution. The worse prognostic variables of the historical group on allograft survival were donor's age (particularly between 20 and 50 years old), delayed graft function, serum creatinine level greater than 2.5 mg/dl at the first month following transplantation, general surgical complications, and vascular and other complications. In the actual group, the allografts with the worst survival were in those that received 4-10 pre-transplant blood transfusions, those with more that 2 HLA-DR mismatches, the hyperimmunized receptors with a level of pre-formed cytotoxic antibodies greater than 50%, those who rejected the allograft in the initial post-transplant period, those with a serum creatinine level greater than 2.5 mg/dl and those who presented surgical complications in general and urinary and vascular complications in particular. CONCLUSIONS: The multivariate analysis reveals that the prognostic factors of the historical group were delayed graft function, surgical complications, HLA A+B mismatches and the donor's age. In the actual group, the factors were receptor's age, surgical complications, large ischemia time, peak reactive antibody and number of rejections.

[Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis. Report of 12 cases]. / Fibrosis retroperitoneal idiopática. Presentación de 12 casos.

Review of 12 patients with diagnosis of idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (IRF). To establish diagnosis, computerized axial tomography (CT) was used in all cases. Nine patients underwent surgical treatment. After a mean follow-up of three and a half years, the clinical and laboratory (serum creatinine) evolution appears to be favourable.

[TPS in prostate cancer]. / TPS en cáncer de próstata.

A study of the tumour proliferation marker TPS in prostate cancer has been carried out. The levels of this marker were determined in the following groups: controls (n = 51), prostate hyperplasia (n = 17), prostate cancer in clinical remission (n = 15), and progressive prostate cancer (n = 13). An upper normal limit of 129 U/l (percentile 95) was established. When the progressive disease group was compared with the other groups, a significant difference (p < 0.001) was found. Sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value obtained in order to dismiss progression were 71%, 94% and 62% respectively.