Effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients who undergo radical cystectomy without neoadjuvant chemotherapy: A retrospective cohort study of 115 advanced bladder cancer patients with pathological lymph node classification.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the clinical outcomes of radical cystectomy without cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and identified factors affecting the effectiveness of cisplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy (AC). METHODS: Between September 2002 and February 2020, 288 bladder cancer patients who did not receive NAC underwent radical cystectomy. We retrospectively analyzed the recurrence rates, primary recurrence sites, recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) of 115 advanced bladder cancer patients (pT3-4 or pN1-3) who were divided into the AC and observation groups. Subgroup analysis was performed, focusing on pathological stage. RESULTS: In total, 51 patients received AC, and 64 patients were observed. The median follow-up duration was 95 months. The recurrence rate was lower in the AC group than in the observation group (35.3% vs. 54.7%, p = 0.041). The rate of recurrences in the lymph node area (dissection site and proximal lymph nodes) was lower in the AC group (9.8% vs. 26.6%; p = 0.031). In the subgroup analysis of patients with pN1, the probability of RFS and OS was higher in the AC group than in the observation group. The hazard ratio for RFS and OS was 0.243 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.077-0.768) and 0.259 (95% CI: 0.082-0.816), respectively. The 5-year RFS and OS were significantly higher in the AC group (80.0% and 79.4%) than in the observation group (35.7% and 42.9%; p < 0.008 and p < 0.012, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: AC improved RFS and OS in patients with pN1 disease who did not receive NAC and should be considered for this population.

Epidermoid cyst of the testis: A report of three cases.

Testicular epidermoid cysts have characteristic findings. Testicular tumor markers are negative in patients with epidermoid cysts. Clear margins and sole and small testicular tumors (20 mm or less) suggest the possibility of epidermoid cyst. Testicular-sparing surgery with intraoperative frozen section examination should be performed when suspecting epidermoid cysts. Testicular epidermoid cysts are rare tumors that account for 1% of all testicular tumors and are often clinically misdiagnosed as malignant lesions. We report three cases of epidermoid cysts. The chief manifestations were scrotal induration in two patients and pruritus scrotum in one. The median age of the patients was 23 years (18-30). All tumors were determined to be sole lesions (<20 mm in diameter). Testing for tumor markers in all patients revealed negative results. We could not rule out malignancy; hence, we performed high inguinal orchiectomy in all cases. Histologically, the inner walls of the cysts were lined with stratified squamous epithelium; their contents were keratinized. All patients were diagnosed with epidermoid cysts.

Incidence and location of perioperative deep vein thrombosis in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence and location of lower extremity deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing radical cystectomy. METHODS: We performed radical cystectomy in 137 patients with bladder cancer between August 2014 and February 2020. Since 2014, we have had a policy to screen for deep vein thrombosis using lower extremity ultrasonography both before and after radical cystectomy. We determined the incidence and location of deep vein thrombosis and classified it as either proximal or distal type. Furthermore, we explored the incidence of pulmonary embolism within 3 months after radical cystectomy. RESULTS: After excluding six patients with a lack of ultrasonographic data, we evaluated 131 patients. Preoperative deep vein thrombosis (one proximal and 17 distal) was diagnosed in 18 patients (14%) with no symptoms. Postoperative deep vein thrombosis was diagnosed in 41 patients (31%; three proximal and 38 distal), of whom 26 (63%) had new-onset deep vein thrombosis after cystectomy. Three patients, two with proximal and one with distal type deep vein thrombosis, developed nonfatal pulmonary embolism postoperatively. Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative D-dimer levels (odds ratio 5.35, 95% confidence interval 1.74-16.50; P < 0.003), type of urinary diversion (ileal neobladder; odds ratio 11.15, 95% confidence interval 2.16-57.55; P = 0.004), and preoperative deep vein thrombosis (odds ratio 15.93, 95% confidence interval 3.82-66.30; P < 0.001) were significant risk factors for postoperative deep vein thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: Pre- and post-radical cystectomy whole-leg ultrasonography can lead to an early perioperative diagnosis and immediate treatment of proximal deep vein thrombosis, thereby potentially preventing fatal pulmonary embolism.

[ANALYSIS OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN IMMUNE-RELATED ADVERSE EVENTS AND THE EFFICACY OF PEMBROLIZUMAB IN PATIENTS WITH METASTATIC UROTHELIAL CARCINOMA].

(Objectives) We evaluated the association between immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and the efficacy of pembrolizumab therapy in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma. (Methods) Data of 42 patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma treated with pembrolizumab between May 2018 and February 2020 were retrospectively analyzed to determine the association between irAEs and objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). (Results) IrAEs were observed in 19 patients (45.2%). Objective response was observed in 15 patients (35.7%). Thirteen (68.4%) of 19 patients who experienced irAEs showed an objective response, whereas two (8.70%) of 23 patients who did not experience irAEs (odds ratio: 15.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.70-738, P=0.006). PFS and OS in the irAE group were longer than those in the non-irAE group (PFS: hazard ratio: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.11-0.54, P<0.001; OS: hazard ratio: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.03-0.37, P<0.001). (Conclusions) During pembrolizumab treatment, the occurrence of irAEs was significantly associated with higher response and survival prolongation in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

The occurrence of high-grade complications after radical cystectomy worsens oncological outcomes in patients with bladder cancer.

PURPOSE: Reports frequently describe the worsening of oncologic outcome in patients who developed high-grade complications after curative surgery for esophageal, gastric, and breast cancers. We investigated the extent of this correlation in patients with bladder cancer after radical cystectomy (RC). METHODS: During 2002-2017, we performed 326 RC and urinary diversion procedures and collected data regarding complications in these patients within 90 days postoperatively. We evaluated the severity of complications based on the modified Clavien-Dindo classification (grades 0-5). Grade ≥ 3 complications were considered high grade. After adjusting for confounding factors using a Cox regression model, we calculated the hazard ratios (HRs) for high-grade complications associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 61 months, 38 patients (12%) developed high-grade complications (grade ≥ 3). The main causes (76%) of high-grade complications were gastrointestinal and infection problems. The RFS and CSS differed significantly between patients with high-grade complications and those without complications. After adjusting for confounding factors in the multivariate analysis, high-grade complications remained a significant risk factor for both RFS [HR 2.11; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-4.15, p = 0.030] and CSS (HR 2.74; 95% CI 1.05-7.14, p = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: High-grade complications after RC led to worse RFS and CSS outcomes, similar to those observed in patients with other cancers. A large-scale study is needed to further verify these findings, and discussions of knowledge and experiences are required to reduce the incidence of postoperative high-grade complications.

Risk factors for intravesical recurrence after nephroureterectomy in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To determine major risk factors for bladder cancer (BC) recurrence after nephroureterectomy (Nux) by focusing on the pathologic appearances of tumors in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinomas (UUTUCs). METHODS: We performed 147 Nux procedures between November 2002 and September 2015. Forty-eight patients were excluded because of a history of BC (28 patients), previous or concurrent radical cystectomy (9 patients), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (5 patients), and other reasons (6 patients). We classified UUTUCs into three types: renal pelvic, short-length ureteral, and long-length ureteral cancer; the cutoff for categorizing short- versus long-length ureteral cancer was the median tumor length. Univariate and multivariate analyses with Cox regression methods were performed to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for BC recurrence using nine clinical covariates, including our new pathologic classification. RESULTS: The median follow-up period for the survivors was 60 months (range 1-157 months). Of 99 patients, 36 (36%) had BC recurrence; of these 36 patients, 30 (85%) experienced recurrence within 2 years and 17 (47%) had invasive BC (≥pT1). Statistical analyses demonstrated that pathologic tumor type was the major significant risk factor for BC recurrence. Long-length (>5 cm) ureteral cancer had the highest risk of BC recurrence compared to other tumor types (multivariate HR 2.1; 95% confidence interval 1.03-4.2). CONCLUSIONS: Our simple classification system based on the tumor's pathologic appearance is useful for predicting BC recurrence. Patients with long-length ureteral cancer have a high risk of BC recurrence.

Duration of androgen deprivation therapy with maximum androgen blockade for localized prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Primary androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a treatment option not only for advanced but also for localized prostate cancer. However, the appropriate duration for primary ADT for localized prostate cancer has not been defined and few studies have addressed this issue. In this study, we aimed to determine the appropriate duration of ADT for localized prostate cancer. METHODS: Sixty-eight consecutive patients with localized prostate cancer who underwent a prostatectomy following neoadjuvant ADT were retrospectively reviewed. Factors associated with pT0, which is regarded as serious cancer cell damage or elimination, were investigated. RESULTS: Of the 68 males, 24 (35.3%) were classified as pT0. The median duration of neoadjuvant ADT in the pT0 and non-pT0 groups was 9 months and 7.5 months, respectively (p = 0.022). The duration of neoadjuvant ADT from when PSA reached < 0.2 ng/ml to surgery was longer in the pT0 group than that in the non-pT0 group (median 5 months against 3 months, p = 0.011). pT0 was achieved in 5 of 6 patients (83.3%) who received ADT for ≥10 months after PSA reached < 0.2 ng/ml. No other clinical characteristics predicted conversion to pT0. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous ADT for ≥10 months after PSA reached < 0.2 ng/ml induced serious prostate cancer cell damage in most patients (> 80%) and may be sufficient to treat localized prostate cancer.

A rare case of right varicocele testis caused by a renal cell carcinoma thrombus in the spermatic vein.

We report a rare case of renal cell carcinoma demonstrating right varicocele testis. In the present case, since the right spermatic vein directly drained into the right renal vein, the tumor thrombus extended into the right spermatic vein through the renal vein without any tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava (IVC). To our knowledge, this is the first description of a renal cell carcinoma thrombus in the right spermatic without a tumor thrombus in IVC.