The Obstructed Bladder: Expression of Collagen, Matrix Metalloproteinases, Muscarinic Receptors, and Angiogenic and Neurotrophic Factors in Patients With Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the gene expression of collagen, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and inhibitors, cholinergic muscarinic receptors (CHRMs), and angiogenic and nerve growth factors (NGFs) in the bladder of patients with bladder outlet obstruction caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHODS: We analyzed bladder specimens from 43 patients with obstructive BPH undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate as compared to 10 age-matched controls with an International Prostatic Symptom Score of <8 and a prostate volume of <30 g. A bladder biopsy was performed for relative gene expression analysis with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction of collagens I and III, MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9; tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs (RECK); CHRM2 and CHRM3; VEGF and CD105; and NGF and nerve growth factor receptor (NGFr). RESULTS: Patients with bladder outlet obstruction presented a statistically significant overexpression of collagens I and III, VEGF, CHRM2, and CHRM3. CD105, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 were underexpressed. Expressions of NGF, NGFr, MMP-1, MMP-2, TIMP-2, and RECK were heterogeneous. CHRM2 and CHRM3 were overexpressed in patients with persistent detrusor overactivity. Smokers presented an upregulation of NGFr and VEGF; dyslipidemic patients had an overexpression of NGFr. CONCLUSION: Bladder upregulation of collagens I and III on transcriptional level appears to be relevant in BPH. Muscarinic receptors CHRM2 and CHRM3 are also overexpressed, more so in patients with persistent detrusor overactivity. Upregulation of VEGF and NGFr, particularly in subjects with risk factors for atherosclerosis, reinforces the role of ischemia in BPH-induced modifications of the bladder.

Analysis of prognostic factors in patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder treated with radical cystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of the treatment of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder with radical cystectomy and determine which prognostic factors can be utilized as disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival independent variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of 113 patients submitted to radical cystectomy and bilateral iliac lymphadenectomy between 1993 and 2005 were reviewed. The risk factors analyzed were age, sex, pathological stage, tumor grade, presence of carcinoma in situ and the presence of lymph nodes involvement. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 31.7 +/- 28.5 months, 46 patients (40.7%) presented recurrence and 24 patients (21.2%) died due to cancer. Only pathological stage and the lymph nodes involvement became independent variables for recurrence and survival. Patients with T4 stage presented 9.6 times the risk of recurrence of the disease when compared with stage T0 patients (p = 0.010) and the patients with lymph node involvement presented 2.5 times the risk of recurrence (p = 0.047) and 3.1 times the risk of death (p = 0.022) when compared to patients without lymph nodes involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Pathological stage and the involvement of lymph nodes represented more important prognostic variables, and in the presence of advanced stage tumors (T3/T4) and involvement of lymph nodes, the institution of adjuvant treatment should be considered.

Analysis of prognostic factors in patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder treated with radical cystectomy

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of the treatment of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder with radical cystectomy and determine which prognostic factors can be utilized as disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival independent variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of 113 patients submitted to radical cystectomy and bilateral iliac lymphadenectomy between 1993 and 2005 were reviewed. The risk factors analyzed were age, sex, pathological stage, tumor grade, presence of carcinoma in situ and the presence of lymph nodes involvement. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 31.7 ± 28.5 months, 46 patients (40.7 percent) presented recurrence and 24 patients (21.2 percent) died due to cancer. Only pathological stage and the lymph nodes involvement became independent variables for recurrence and survival. Patients with T4 stage presented 9.6 times the risk of recurrence of the disease when compared with stage T0 patients (p = 0.010) and the patients with lymph node involvement presented 2.5 times the risk of recurrence (p = 0.047) and 3.1 times the risk of death (p = 0.022) when compared to patients without lymph nodes involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Pathological stage and the involvement of lymph nodes represented more important prognostic variables, and in the presence of advanced stage tumors (T3/T4) and involvement of lymph nodes, the institution of adjuvant treatment should be considered.

Deep-seated sarcomas of the penis.

Mesenchymal neoplasias represent 5% of tumors affecting the penis. Due to the rarity of such tumors, there is no agreement concerning the best method for staging and managing these patients. Sarcomas of the penis can be classified as deep-seated if they derive from the structures forming the spongy body and the cavernous bodies. Superficial lesions are usually low-grade and show a small tendency towards distant metastasis. In contrast, deep-seated lesions usually show behavior that is more aggressive and have poorer prognosis. The authors report 3 cases of deep-seated primary sarcomas of the penis and review the literature on this rare and aggressive neoplasia.

Deep-seated sarcomas of the penis

Mesenchymal neoplasias represent 5 percent of tumors affecting the penis. Due to the rarity of such tumors, there is no agreement concerning the best method for staging and managing these patients. Sarcomas of the penis can be classified as deep-seated if they derive from the structures forming the spongy body and the cavernous bodies. Superficial lesions are usually low-grade and show a small tendency towards distant metastasis. In contrast, deep-seated lesions usually show behavior that is more aggressive and have poorer prognosis. The authors report 3 cases of deep-seated primary sarcomas of the penis and review the literature on this rare and aggressive neoplasia.