Predictors of renal function deterioration at one year after off-clamp non-renorrhaphy partial nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Preservation of renal function is an important goal in renal cell carcinoma-related surgery. Although several case-dependent techniques for renal pedicle clamping and hemostasis have been used, their effects on long-term renal function are controversial. METHODS: The clinical records of 114 patients who underwent off-clamp non-renorrhaphy open partial nephrectomy at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Perioperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) preservation was calculated, and predictors of eGFR decline 12 months post-surgery and overtime deterioration of renal function were identified using a multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: The median patient age was 65 years, and the median tumor size was 27 mm. The mean eGFR preservation at 1, 3, and 12 months post-surgery were 90.1%, 89.0%, and 86.9%, respectively. eGFR decline at 1 and 3 months were associated with poor eGFR preservation at 12 months with the odds ratio (95% confidence interval (CI)) of 1.97 and 3.157, respectively. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that tumor size was an independent predictor of eGFR decline at 12 months. Among 65 patients with eGFR preservation over 90% at 1 month post-surgery, eGFR value of 28 patients deteriorated below 90% at 12 months post-surgery compared with preoperative eGFR. Tumor size and eGFR preservation at 1 month were independent predictors of long-term renal function deterioration. CONCLUSION: Tumor size predicted eGFR decline 12 months post-surgery. Only a mild decline in eGFR was observed between 3 and 12 months after open partial nephrectomy. Tumor size and eGFR preservation at 1 month predicted the deterioration of renal function over time.

Clinical effects of combined anteversion and offset on postoperative dislocation in total hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Implant impingement and soft tissue tension are factors involved in dislocation after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Combined anteversion (CA) has been used as an indicator for implant placement. However, optimal implant placement remains a challenge. Moreover, the effect of changes in offset on dislocation is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to clarify the effects of postoperative CA and pre- and postoperative changes in offset on dislocation. METHODS: Included were patients who underwent primary cementless THA between 2013 and 2020. The mean values of CA and offset in the dislocation and non-dislocation groups were compared. The CA values within ± 10% of the recommended values were defined as good CA, and those outside the range were rated as poor CA. The dislocation rates were compared between the good and poor CA groups and between the groups with and without increased offset. RESULTS: A total of 283 hips were included. The mean values of CA in the dislocation and non-dislocation groups were significantly different (P < 0.05). The dislocation rate was significantly lower in the good CA group (P < 0.05). The dislocation rates in the groups with and without increased total offset were 0.5% and 4.3%, respectively (P = 0.004). There were no dislocations in patients with good CA and increased offset. CONCLUSIONS: The dislocation rate was significantly lower when implants were placed within ± 10% of the recommended CA value. Our results suggest that dislocation can be avoided by placing the implant in the good CA range and considering the increase in total offset on the operative side.

Improvement of heterologous soluble expression of L-amino acid oxidase using logistic regression.

Successful implementation of enzymes in practical application hinges on the development of efficient mass production techniques. However, in a heterologous expression system, the protein is often unable to fold correctly and, thus, forms inclusion bodies, resulting in the loss of its original activity. In this study, we present a new and more accurate model for predicting amino acids associated with an increased L-amino acid oxidase (LAO) solubility. Expressing LAO from Rhizoctonia solani in Escherichia coli and combining random mutagenesis and statistical logistic regression, we modified 108 amino acid residues by substituting hydrophobic amino acids with serine and hydrophilic amino acids with alanine. Our results indicated that specific mutations in Euclidean distance, glycine, methionine, and secondary structure increased LAO expression. Furthermore, repeated mutations were performed for LAO based on logistic regression models. The mutated LAO displayed a significantly increased solubility, with the 6-point and 58-point mutants showing a 2.64- and 4.22-fold increase, respectively, compared with WT-LAO. Ultimately, using recombinant LAO in the biotransformation of α-keto acids indicates its great potential as a biocatalyst in industrial production.

Development of risk-score model in patients with negative surgical margin after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

A total of 739 patients underwent RARP as initial treatment for PCa from November 2011 to October 2018. Data on BCR status, clinical and pathological parameters were collected from the clinical records. After excluding cases with neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant therapies, presence of lymph node or distant metastasis, and positive SM, a total of 537 cases were eligible for the final analysis. The median follow-up of experimental cohort was 28.0 (interquartile: 18.0-43.0) months. We identified the presence of International Society of Urological Pathology grade group (ISUP-GG) ≥ 4 (Hazard ratio (HR) 3.20, 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) 1.70-6.03, P < 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (HR 2.03, 95% CI 1.00-4.12, P = 0.049), perineural invasion (HR 10.7, 95% CI 1.45-79.9, P = 0.020), and maximum tumor diameter (MTD) > 20 mm (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.01-3.70, P = 0.047) as significant factors of BCR in the multivariate analysis. We further developed a risk model according to these factors. Based on this model, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year BCR-free survival were 100%, 98.9%, 98.9% in the low-risk group; 99.1%, 94.1%, 86.5% in the intermediate-risk group; 93.9%, 84.6%, 58.1% in the high-risk group. Internal validation using the bootstrap method showed a c-index of 0.742 and an optimism-corrected c-index level of 0.731. External validation was also carried out using an integrated database derived from 3 other independent institutions including a total of 387 patients for the final analysis. External validation showed a c-index of 0.655. In conclusion, we identified risk factors of biochemical failure in patients showing negative surgical margin after RARP and further developed a risk model using these risk factors.

Bilateral fumarate hydratase deficient renal cell carcinoma in a patient with hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome.

Introduction: Patients with hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer (HLRCC) syndrome have high risks of uterine and cutaneous leiomyomas and renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which are caused by germline mutation of the fumarate hydratase (FH) gene. RCC lesions are mostly high-grade tumors with a poor prognosis. Case presentation: A 37-year-old man who had previously undergone treatment for a left RCC was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of right RCC. Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy was performed, and the pathological diagnosis revealed fumarate hydratase (FH)-deficient RCC. The left RCC, which was originally diagnosed as mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma, was reviewed and diagnosed as FH-deficient RCC. The patient's father and uncle both died of RCC, and the father's tumor was also immunohistochemically proven to be FH-deficient RCC. Conclusion: HLRCC-related RCC should be considered in a differential diagnosis of young patients with a family history of RCC.

A case of condyloma acuminatum of the bladder concurrently diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma.

Introduction: Condyloma acuminatum usually occurs in the external genitalia and rarely in the bladder mucosa. Here, we report a case of condyloma acuminatum of the bladder that was detected concurrently with urothelial carcinoma. Case presentation: A 42-year-old man was referred to our urology department with positive urine cytology for urothelial carcinoma. Cystoscopy revealed a broad-base nonpapillary bladder tumor. The patient underwent a transurethral resection of the bladder tumor. Pathological examination revealed urothelial carcinoma, high-grade pT1, and concurrent resection of condyloma acuminatum. DNA was extracted from the paraffin-embedded transurethral resection of the bladder tumor tissue specimens. HPV11 was detected in condylomas by PCR and in situ hybridization, whereas HPV was not detected in urothelial carcinomas. Conclusion: We report a rare case of condyloma acuminatum of the bladder that was concurrently diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma from the same site.

Accelerated three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for early-stage glottic cancer in reducing dose to the internal carotid artery and pharyngeal constrictor muscles.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated clinical and dosimetric outcomes of radiotherapy using two anterior oblique portals (AOP), to reduce the dose to the bilateral internal carotid arteries (CAs) and pharyngeal constrictor muscle (PCM) during early-stage glottic cancer (ESGC) treatment. METHODS: We identified patients with ESGC who underwent definitive radiotherapy between June 2014 and May 2020. RESULTS: Among the 66 patients, 32 (48%) underwent radiotherapy using AOP, and the remaining underwent typical radiotherapy using parallel opposed lateral portals (POLP). The median follow-up duration was 53 months. No significant differences were observed in the 5-year local failure (0%/9.4%), progression-free survival (90.6%/90.8%), and overall survival (90.6%/91.0%) rates between the two groups. The grade ≥2 acute mucositis incidence rate was significantly lower in the AOP group (44%/85%). Radiotherapy using AOP maintained an adequate dose coverage to the target while markedly reducing the CAs and PCM doses. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy with AOP resulted in favorable clinical and dosimetric outcomes.

Long-term outcomes of patients with oral cavity cancer receiving postoperative radiotherapy after salvage neck dissection for cervical lymph node recurrence.

BACKGROUNDS: We aimed to clarify the outcomes of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) after salvage neck dissection for cervical lymph node (LN) recurrence in oral cavity cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), recurrence patterns, and adverse events of 51 patients with high-risk features receiving PORT after salvage neck dissection between 2009 and 2019. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 7.4 years from PORT initiation, the 7-year OS and RFS rates were 66.3% (95% CI: 54.0-81.3) and 54.6% (95% CI: 42.1-70.9), respectively. Age <70 years and isolated LN recurrence were significantly associated with longer OS and RFS. Among the 22 patients who experienced recurrence, 14 experienced recurrence within the radiation field. PORT-related grade 3 acute mucositis (35%) and late adverse events (osteoradionecrosis [4%] and laryngeal stenosis [2%]) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: PORT after salvage neck dissection for cervical LN recurrence achieved good survival with acceptable toxicity.

Comprehensive single-cell analysis demonstrates radiotherapy-induced infiltration of macrophages expressing immunosuppressive genes into tumor in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Radiotherapy (RT) combined with immunotherapy is promising; however, the immune response signature in the clinical setting after RT remains unclear. Here, by integrative spatial and single-cell analyses using multiplex immunostaining (CODEX), spatial transcriptome (VISIUM), and single-cell RNA sequencing, we substantiated the infiltration of immune cells into tumors with dynamic changes in immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive gene expression after RT. In addition, our comprehensive analysis uncovered time- and cell type-dependent alterations in the gene expression profile after RT. Furthermore, myeloid cells showed prominent up-regulation of immune response-associated genes after RT. Notably, a subset of infiltrating tumor-associated myeloid cells showing PD-L1 positivity exhibited significant up-regulation of immunostimulatory (HMGB1 and ISG15), immunosuppressive (SIRPA and IDO1), and protumor genes (CXCL8, CCL3, IL-6, and IL-1AB), which can be targets of immunotherapy in combination with PD-L1. These datasets will provide information on the RT-induced gene signature to seek an appropriate target for personalized immunotherapy combined with RT and guide the timing of combination therapy.

Broad subcutaneous emphysema with airway obstruction during robot-assisted partial nephrectomy: A case report and literature review.

Introduction: Subcutaneous emphysema is a relatively common complication in laparoscopic surgery. However, airway obstruction secondary to subcutaneous emphysema is rare. Case presentation: A 63-year-old woman with a 56-mm left renal tumor underwent a robot-assisted partial nephrectomy. The operative time was 155 min, the insufflation time was 108 min, and the estimated blood loss was 70 mL. The pneumoperitoneum pressure was maintained at 12 mmHg, except at 15 mmHg for 19 min during tumor resection. The end-tidal CO2 was <47 mmHg throughout the procedure. Postoperatively, broad subcutaneous emphysema from the thigh to the eyelid was observed. Computed tomography revealed airway obstruction, and extubation was aborted. On postoperative day 1, emphysema around the trachea and neck improved and the intubation tube was successfully removed. Conclusion: Both laryngeal emphysema and physical compression secondary to emphysema can cause airway obstruction. To reduce gas-related complications, the risk of developing subcutaneous emphysema should be properly assessed during robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery.

Asymptomatic renal granuloma diagnosed 3 years after Bacillus Calmette-Guérin intravesical injection: A case report and a literature review.

Introduction: Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy is an effective treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, which is occasionally associated with side effects and complications. The incidence of significant renal complications after intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy is less than 2%. We report a case of renal granuloma after intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy for bladder cancer, which radiologically resembled a papillary renal cell carcinoma. Case presentation: A 65-year-old man, who had a medical history of urothelial carcinoma and received intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy, was referred to our Urology Department with a right renal tumor. Imaging findings suggested papillary renal cell carcinoma. Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy was performed, and the histopathological examination revealed epithelioid cell granuloma, which were considered to be Bacillus Calmette-Guérin-related renal granuloma. Conclusion: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin-related renal granuloma mimicking papillary renal cell carcinoma have been reported. We should consider the possibility of renal granulomas when encountering image abnormalities for patients treated with intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy.

Palliative radiotherapy for tumor bleeding in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer: a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer (PC) sometimes experience gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) due to tumor invasion of the gastrointestinal tract (tumor bleeding); no standard treatment has been established yet for this complication. Palliative radiotherapy (PRT) could be promising, however, there are few reports of PRT for tumor bleeding in patients with unresectable PC. Therefore, we evaluated the outcomes of PRT for tumor bleeding in patients with unresectable PC. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of patients with unresectable PC diagnosed at our institution between May 2013 and January 2022, and identified patients with endoscopically confirmed tumor bleeding who had received PRT. PRT was administered at a total dose of 30 Grays (Gy) in 10 fractions, 20 Gy in 5 fractions, or 8 Gy in a single fraction, and the dose selection was left to the discretion of the attending radiation oncologists. RESULTS: During the study period, 2562 patients were diagnosed as having unresectable PC at our hospital, of which 225 (8.8%) developed GIB. Among the 225 patients, 63 (2.5%) were diagnosed as having tumor bleeding and 20 (0.8%) received PRT. Hemostasis was achieved in 14 of the 20 patients (70%) who received PRT, and none of these patients developed grade 3 or more adverse events related to the PRT. The median time to hemostasis was 8.5 days (range 7-14 days). The rebleeding rate was 21.4% (3/14). The median hemoglobin level increased significantly (p < 0.001) from 5.9 to 9.1 g/dL, and the median volume of red blood cell transfusion tended (p = 0.052) to decrease, from 1120 mL (range 280-3360 mL) to 280 mL (range 0-5560 mL) following the PRT. The median overall survival (OS) was 52 days (95% confidence interval [CI] 39-317). Of the 14 patients in whom hemostasis was achieved following PRT, chemotherapy could be started/resumed in seven patients (50%), and the median OS in these patients was 260 days (95% CI 76-not evaluable [NE]). Three patients experienced rebleeding (21.4%), on days 16, 22, and 25, after the start of PRT. CONCLUSION: This study showed that PRT is an effective and safe treatment modality for tumor bleeding in patients with unresectable PC.

Advantages of enhanced recovery after surgery program in robot-assisted radical cystectomy.

Radical cystectomy is a gold-standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. We recently introduced robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with perioperative enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). The medical records of patients with bladder cancer who underwent open radical cystectomy (ORC) or RARC/ERAS at NTT Medical Center Tokyo were retrospectively reviewed to compare the surgical outcomes, hospital stay, and medical costs between groups. Multidisciplinary full ERAS items were provided for the RARC/ERAS group. The median estimated blood losses in the ORC and RARC/ERAS groups were 650 and 100 mL, and the median operative times were 312 and 445 min, respectively. In addition, the median times to liquid food intake in these groups were 6 and 0 days, the median times to first flatus and first defecation were 2 and 1 day, and 3 and 1.5 days, respectively. The rates of postoperative ileus in the ORC and RARC/ERAS groups were 27.5% and 4.5%, and the median postoperative hospital stays was 26.5 and 12 days, respectively. Medical costs excluding surgery were significantly lower in the RARC/ERAS group. In conclusion, RARC/ERAS represents a safe treatment option for muscle-invasive bladder cancer with decreased perioperative complications and lower medical costs.

Transposable elements potentiate radiotherapy-induced cellular immune reactions via RIG-I-mediated virus-sensing pathways.

Radiotherapy (RT) plus immunotherapy is a promising modality; however, the therapeutic effects are insufficient, and the molecular mechanism requires clarification to further develop combination therapies. Here, we found that the RNA virus sensor pathway dominantly regulates the cellular immune response in NSCLC and ESCC cell lines. Notably, transposable elements (TEs), especially long terminal repeats (LTRs), functioned as key ligands for the RNA virus sensor RIG-I, and the mTOR-LTR-RIG-I axis induced the cellular immune response and dendritic cell and macrophage infiltration after irradiation. Moreover, RIG-I-dependent immune activation was observed in ESCC patient tissue. scRNA sequencing and spatial transcriptome analysis revealed that radiotherapy induced the expression of LTRs, and the RNA virus sensor pathway in immune and cancer cells; this pathway was also found to mediate tumour conversion to an immunological hot state. Here, we report the upstream and ligand of the RNA virus sensor pathway functions in irradiated cancer tissues.

Prognostic impact of EGFR/ALK alterations in leptomeningeal metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma treated with whole-brain radiotherapy.

The prognosis and prognostic factors of patients receiving whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) for leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) from lung adenocarcinoma have not been established. Particularly, the impact of EGFR mutations and ALK rearrangements on survival remains unclear. This retrospective study evaluated the prognosis and prognostic factors of patients receiving WBRT for LM. We evaluated overall survival (OS) from WBRT initiation and clinical variables in 80 consecutive patients receiving WBRT for LM from lung adenocarcinoma at our institution between June 2013 and June 2021. After a median follow-up of 5.2 (range 0.5-56.5) months, the median OS was 6.2 months (95% CI 4.4-12.4). Of the 80 patients, 51 were classified as EGFR/ALK mutant (EGFR: 44; ALK: 6; both: 1) and 29 as wild-type. The median OS was 10.4 (95% CI 5.9-20.9) versus 3.8 (95% CI 2.5-7.7) months in the EGFR/ALK-mutant versus wild-type patients (HR = 0.49, P = 0.0063). Multivariate analysis indicated that EGFR/ALK alterations (HR = 0.54, P = 0.021) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) of 0-1 (HR = 0.25, P < 0.001) were independent factors associated with favorable OS. Among the patients who underwent brain MRI before and after WBRT, intracranial progression-free survival was longer in the 26 EGFR/ALK-mutant than 13 wild-type patients (HR = 0.31, P = 0.0039). Although the prognosis of patients receiving WBRT for LM remains poor, EGFR/ALK alterations and good ECOG PS may positively impact OS in those eligible for WBRT.

[Endovascular Treatment of a Ruptured Mediastinal Bronchial Artery Aneurysm].

Case 1:A 73-year-old man was transported to our hospital for evaluation of sudden onset of chest pain, back pain, and dyspnea. We initially misdiagnosed him with advanced esophageal cancer accompanied by mediastinal metastasis;however, subsequent multi-detector row computed tomography (MDR-CT) confirmed the diagnosis. We performed coil embolization of a bronchial artery aneurysm and thoracic endovascular aortic repair( TEVAR) to seal the root of the bronchial artery. Case 2:An 81-year-old woman with a one-week history of fever and cervical pain was diagnosed with a ruptured infected thoracic aneurysm. She underwent the same treatment as described in Case 1. Physicians should consider it as a differential diagnosis of mediastinal hematoma.

Trends in surgical treatment for prostate cancer: Analysis of National Database Open Data in Japan.

We conducted a study to clarify the trends in surgical treatments for prostate cancer in Japan between 2014 and 2020 by analyzing the National Database (NDB) Open Data in Japan. Intriguingly, the number of patients over 70 years old who underwent robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) nearly doubled from 2015 to 2019, while that in those 69 years old and younger remained almost constant during the same period. The increase in the number of patients over 70 years of age may reflect the fact that RARP can be safely applied to elderly patients. With the new development and spread of surgery-assisting robots, we can foresee a further increase in the number of RARPs performed for elderly patients in the future.

[Optimal Management of Stanford Type A Acute Aortic Dissection with Mesenteric Malperfusion].

The optimal management of Stanford type A accute aortic dissection (TAAAD) with mesenteric malperfusion (TAAADwM) is controversial. Our strategy of TAAADwM is open superior mesenteric artery (SMA) bypass prior to aortic repair, if we suspect TAAADwM on computed tomography (CT) scan, whatever other findings might be or not. The need of treatment of mesenteric malperfusion prior to aortic repair is not always linked with digestive symptom, lactate, intraoperative finding. The mortality of 14 patients with TAAADwM was 21.4%, which was an allowable result. Our strategy might be proper at instances of, allowable time for management of open SMA bypass, unnecessarily of endovascular treatment, confirming an enteric property and ability to respond to a rapid hemodynamic change.