Effectiveness of Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Ultrasound-guided Target Biopsy in Detecting Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound (MRI-US)-guided fusion biopsy in the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (CSPC) and analyze the clinical features of patients highly suspected of having prostate cancer (PCa) but shown to be negative in target biopsies (TB) among patients with prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) 4 or 5 lesions on multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) evaluations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated all patients who underwent MRI/transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided fusion biopsies at our institution between April 2018 and April 2022. All patients with at least one PI-RADS 3 or higher lesion and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≤20 ng/ml were enrolled in our study and subjected to TB in the region of interest (ROI). CSPC was defined as grade group (GG) ≥2 (equivalent to a Gleason score of 3+4). RESULTS: The detection rates of CSPC were higher in patients who underwent systematic biopsy (SB) and TB (54%; 177/328) than in those who underwent SB alone (39%; 128/328). Significant differences were noted in the detection of CSPC depending on age, prostate volume, PI-RADS score, PSA density (PSAD), number of biopsies obtained, lesion location, and ROI. CONCLUSION: MRI/TRUS-guided fusion prostate biopsy increased the detection rate of CSPC. PCa was less likely to be detected in patients with a low PSAD, large prostate volume and no family history among those with PI-RADS 4 or 5 lesions and should be considered in such patients and addressed by performing additional SB for improving CSPC detection rate.

Clinical Significance of Intraductal Carcinoma of the Prostate After High-Dose Brachytherapy With External Beam Radiation Therapy: A Single Institution Series and an Updated Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: We compared oncological outcomes between prostate cancer (PCa) patients with and without intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P) after high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 138 patients with clinically high-risk, very high-risk, or locally advanced PCa who received HDR-BT with EBRT. Of these, 70 (50.7 %) patients were diagnosed with IDC-P; 68 (49.3 %) patients with acinar adenocarcinoma of prostate. The oncological outcomes, including biochemical recurrence-free survival (BCRFS) and clinical progression-free survival (CPFS), were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Additionally, Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify significant prognostic indicators or biochemical recurrence (BCR). Meta-analysis of existing literatures was performed to evaluate the risk of BCR in patients with IDC-P after radiation therapy, compared to those without IDC-P. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated significantly inferior BCRFS and CPFS in patients with IDC-P. Multivariate analysis revealed that IDC-P and Grade Group 5 status were associated with increased BCR risk. in our meta-analysis, IDC-P was associated with BCR (HR = 2.13, P = .003). CONCLUSION: Amongst the patients who received HDR-BT, patients with IDC-P displayed significantly more rapid disease progression, compared with patients who did not have IDC-P.

Survival outcome of chemotherapy-naïve castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with new-generation androgen receptor axis-targeted agents in real-world analysis.

PURPOSE: The androgen receptor axis-targeted (ARAT) agents abiraterone and enzalutamide have been introduced against castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, determining which of these agents should be used first is a clinical challenge. Therefore, in this study, we compared the efficacy of first-line abiraterone and enzalutamide treatments in chemotherapy-naïve patients with CRPC. METHODS: A total of 242 chemotherapy-naïve CRPC cases treated with first-line ARAT were analyzed. Outcome measures were PSA response, PSA progression-free survival (PSA-PFS), time to treatment failure (TTF), cancer specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Abiraterone (A) and enzalutamide (E) were administered to 61 and 181 patients, respectively. The median PSA response rate (- 65.4% [A] and - 78.8% [E], p = 0.0341), PSA decline ≥ 30% (55.7% [A] and 72.9% [E], p = 0.0183), PSA-PFS (median 4 months [A] and 8 months [E], p = 0.0126), TTF (median 6 months [A] and 14 months [E], p < 0.0001), CSS (median 45 months [A] and not reached [E], p < 0.0001), and OS (median 28 months [A] and 80 months [E], p < 0.001) were significantly better in the enzalutamide group. In the multivariate analyses for CSS and OS, ALP (p = 0.00376) and ARAT (p < 0.001) (CSS), evidence of metastasis (p = 0.0467), Hb (p = 0.00205), and ARAT (p = 0.00514) (OS) were significant factors, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study showed that PSA response, PSA-PFS, TTF, CSS, and OS were better with first-line enzalutamide administration. Direct inhibition of androgen receptor signaling by enzalutamide is associated with better clinical outcomes.

New liposome-radionuclide-chelate combination for tumor targeting and rapid healthy tissue clearance.

Radionuclide imaging and therapy are promising methods for controlling systemic cancers; however, their clinical application has been limited by excessive radionuclide accumulation in healthy tissues. To minimize radionuclide accumulation in non-cancerous tissues while ensuring sufficient build up in tumors, we aimed to develop a method that controlled the in vivo dynamics of radionuclides post-administration. To this end, we describe a novel strategy that combines liposomes, a potent carrier system for drug delivery, with unique radionuclide-ligand complexes based on 111In-ethylenedicysteine. Conventional 111In-ligand-complexes-carrying liposomes delivered substantial amounts of radionuclides to tumors; however, they also accumulated in the liver and spleen. In contrast, 111In-ethylenedicysteine-carrying liposomes greatly reduced non-specific accumulation, while being retained selectively at high doses within tumors. Liposomes were rapidly broken down in the liver, releasing encapsulated 111In-ligand complexes. Among the chelates used, only 111In-ethylenedicysteine could escape from the liver and be excreted in the urine. Instead, most liposomes remained intact in tumors, retaining the radionuclide-ligand complexes within them. Therefore, high tumor accumulation was obtained regardless of the type of 111In-ligand complexes in the liposomes. In vivo single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography imaging with 111In-ethylenedicysteine-carrying liposomes accurately revealed tumor-selective radionuclide retention with little background. Hence, our new strategy could greatly enhance tumor-to-healthy tissue ratios, improve diagnostic imaging, boost therapeutic efficacy, reduce toxicity to healthy tissues, and facilitate radionuclide imaging and therapy.

Comparison of neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma in real-world practice: a multicenter retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma compared with surgery alone. However, no clinical trial has established the superiority of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or adjuvant chemotherapy in terms of perioperative outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis encompassing 164 upper tract urothelial carcinoma patients who underwent radical nephroureterectomy and received perioperative chemotherapy. Of these patients, 65 (39.6%) and 99 (60.4%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy, respectively. Recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival were computed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Additionally, we conducted Cox regression analyses to evaluate the risk factors for recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival. RESULTS: Pathological downstaging was seen in 37% of the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group. However, no pathological complete response was observed in this cohort. The Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated significantly lower recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival in patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy exhibited a marked association with inferior recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival. CONCLUSION: Our study has suggested that neoadjuvant chemotherapy would be more effective in high-risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma patients compared with adjuvant chemotherapy.

Patients with PSA below 0.2 ng/mL at 8 years post high-dose-rate brachytherapy have an extremely low risk of subsequent recurrence.

OBJECTIVES: We have analyzed the long-term follow-up data of patients with prostate cancer (PCa) who underwent high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) combined with long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The objective was to determine the optimal time for cessation of PSA monitoring after HDR-BT. METHODS: We included 309 patients with clinical stage T1c-T4 N0-1 M0 PCa who received HDR-BT and EBRT combined with long-term ADT between 2005 and 2018. We stratified the patients based on their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and identified the factors associated with biochemical recurrence (BCR) and clinical progression (CP). RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 98 months (range: 31-207 months). Among the 306 patients, 76 developed BCR and 47 developed CP subsequently. We found that the PSA levels at 3, 5, and 8 years significantly correlated with the oncological outcomes of brachytherapy. No patient with a PSA level ≤ 0.2 ng/mL at 8 years later developed BCR or CP. CONCLUSION: Our long-term data suggest that in the presence of a PSA level ≤ 0.2 ng/mL at 8 years later, PSA monitoring may be safely discontinued due to the extremely low risk of subsequent oncological events. The data presented in this study will assist clinicians in determining the optimal management strategy for patients with PCa following HDR-BT and EBRT combined with long-term ADT.

Clinical characteristics of secondary bladder cancer developing after low-/high-dose-rate brachytherapy to treat localized prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: To explore correlations between the clinical attributes of secondary bladder cancer and brachytherapy, we retrospectively reviewed our institutional database on patients with localized prostate cancer who underwent low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR-BT) or high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) with or without external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or radical prostatectomy (RP). METHODS: From October 2003 to December 2014, 2551 patients with localized prostate cancer were treated at our institution. Of these, data on 2163 were available (LDR-BT alone: n = 953; LDR-TB with EBRT: n = 181; HDR-BT with EBRT: n = 283; RP without EBRT: n = 746). The times of secondary bladder cancer development subsequent to radical treatment, and their clinical characteristics, were studied. RESULTS: Age-adjusted Cox's regression analyses indicated that brachytherapy did not significantly impact the incidence of secondary bladder cancer. However, the pathological characteristics of such cancer differed between patients treated via brachytherapy and RP without EBRT; invasive bladder cancer was more common in such patients. CONCLUSION: The risk for secondary bladder cancer was not significantly increased after brachytherapy compared to non-irradiation therapy. However, brachytherapy patients exhibited a higher incidence of invasive bladder cancer. Therefore, meticulous follow-up is crucial for early detection and treatment of bladder cancer in such patients.

Treatment Results of High-dose-rate Brachytherapy and External Beam Radiation With Long-term Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: A recent clinical trial indicated the usefulness of local radiation therapy of the prostate in patients with low-volume metastatic prostate cancer. High-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) is used mainly for high-risk, localized, and locally advanced cases. However, few studies exist on the efficacy of HDR-BT and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for metastatic prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 39 patients diagnosed with regional lymph node metastasis and/or a limited number of metastases who underwent HDR-BT and EBRT with long-term androgen deprivation therapy. We utilized Cox's proportional hazards models to identify predictors of oncological outcomes. Treatment outcomes, including biochemical recurrence-free survival (BCRFS), clinical progression-free survival (CPFS), and castration-resistant prostate cancer-free survival (CRPCFS), were compared according to the clinical stage. RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 49 months (range=23-136 months). The 5-year BCRFS, CPFS, CRPCFS, and cancer-specific survival rates were 62.2%, 67.2%, 83.2%, and 93.4%, respectively. Based on Kaplan-Meier analysis, N1M0 and N0-1M1b showed favorable outcomes compared with N1M1a. Multivariate analysis revealed that N1M1a prostate cancer was an independent risk factor for poor BCRFS, CPFS, and CRPCFS. CONCLUSION: HDR-BT and EBRT with androgen deprivation therapy is a feasible approach for patients with newly diagnosed regional and low-metastatic-burden prostate cancer. However, in our cohort M1a prostate cancer had significantly inferior outcomes. A well-controlled prospective study is imperative to confirm our results.

The prognostic significance of the clinical T stage and Grade Group in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer treated via high-dose-rate brachytherapy and external beam radiation.

BACKGROUND: Although the optimal management of locally advanced prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear, local definitive therapy, thus combined radiotherapy and androgen deprivation, is one option. We evaluated the long-term outcomes of patients with locally advanced PCa who underwent high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 173 patients with locally advanced PCa (cT3a-4N0-1M0) who underwent HDR-BT and EBRT. We employed Cox's proportional hazards models to identify pre-treatment predictors of oncological outcomes. Treatment outcomes (biochemical recurrence-free survival [BCRFS], clinical progression-free survival [CPFS], and castration-resistant prostate cancer-free survival [CRPCFS] were compared according to the combination of the pre-treatment predictors. RESULTS: The 5-year BCRFS, CPFS, and CRPCFS rates were 78.5, 91.7, and 94.4% respectively; there were two PCa deaths. Multivariate analysis revealed that the clinical T stage (cT3b and cT4) and Grade Group (GG) 5 status were independent risk factors for poor BCRFS, CPFS, and CRPCFS. In the GG ≤ 4 group, the Kaplan-Meier curves for BCRFS, CPFS, and CRPCFS revealed excellent outcomes. However, in the GG5 group, patients with cT3b and cT4 PCa evidenced significantly poorer oncological outcomes than those with cT3a PCa. CONCLUSION: The clinical T stage and GG status were significantly prognostic of oncological outcomes in patients with locally advanced PCa. In patients of GG ≤ 4 PCa, HDR-BT was effective even in patients with cT3b or cT4 PCa. However, in patients with GG5 PCa, careful monitoring is essential, particularly of patients with cT3b or cT4 PCa.

Pagetoid spread of urothelial carcinoma controlled without resection.

Introduction: Extramammary Paget's disease is an eczematous skin condition that affects the vulva and perineum. Extramammary Paget's disease secondary to urothelial carcinoma is a rare condition that is typically treated with invasive surgical resection of the lesion. Case presentation: An 80-year-old woman with a 7-year history of urothelial carcinoma presented with erythema of the labia majora. Immunostaining of skin biopsy specimens suggested extramammary Paget's disease secondary to urothelial carcinoma. The patient did not consent to resection of the lesion. Nine cycles of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma were administered. As tumor cells remained after systemic chemotherapy, pembrolizumab will be administered to the patient for treating residual extramammary Paget's disease. Conclusion: Platinum-based chemotherapy can control extramammary Paget's disease secondary to urothelial carcinoma.

Clinical Utility of Germline Genetic Testing in Japanese Men Undergoing Prostate Biopsy.

Background: Multiple common variants and also rare variants in monogenic risk genes such as BRCA2 and HOXB13 have been reported to be associated with risk of prostate cancer (PCa); however, the clinical setting in which germline genetic testing could be used for PCa diagnosis remains obscure. Herein, we tested the clinical utility of a 16 common variant-based polygenic risk score (PRS) that has been developed previously for Japanese men and also evaluated the frequency of PCa-associated rare variants in a prospective cohort of Japanese men undergoing prostate biopsy. Methods: A total of 1336 patients undergoing first prostate biopsy were included. PRS was calculated based on the genotype of 16 common variants, and sequencing of 8 prostate cancer-associated genes was performed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction based target sequencing. PRS was combined with clinical factors in logistic regression models to assess whether addition of PRS improves the prediction of biopsy positivity. Results: The top PRS decile was associated with an odds ratio of 4.10 (95% confidence interval = 2.46 to 6.86) with reference to the patients at average risk, and the estimated lifetime absolute risk approached 20%. Among the patients with prostate specific antigen 2-10 ng/mL who had prebiopsy magnetic resonance imaging, high PRS had an equivalent impact on biopsy positivity as a positive magnetic resonance imaging finding. Rare variants were detected in 19 (2.37%) and 7 (1.31%) patients with positive and negative biopsies, respectively, with BRCA2 variants being the most prevalent. There was no association between PRS and high-risk rare variants. Conclusions: Germline genetic testing could be clinically useful in both pre- and post-PSA screening settings.

Prognostic model with alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and presence of Gleason pattern 5 for worse overall survival in low-risk metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Randomized trials showed the survival benefits of the combined use of androgen receptor axis-targeted agents with androgen deprivation therapy in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), regardless of the risk. However, treating patients with low-risk mHSPC with such intensive treatment is still debatable. METHODS: This retrospective study included 155 low-risk patients among 467 mHSPC patients treated in our affiliated institutions. The association between predictive factors and treatment outcomes was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Predictive factors for castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)-free survival were investigated using Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: During the median follow-up of 39 months, 38.7% of patients developed CRPC and 14.2% died. In the multivariate analyses, a presence of Gleason pattern 5 (hazard ratio [HR] 2.04), high alkaline phosphatase (HR 1.007) and high lactate dehydrogenase (HR 1.009) were significant predictive factors for shorter CRPC-free survival. Finally, 155 patients were stratified into favorable- and unfavorable-risk groups based on the numbers of the predictive factors. The overall survival (OS) in the unfavorable-risk group (total scores: 2-3) was significantly worse than that of the favorable-risk group (total score: 0-1) (P = 0.02). This prognostic model was assessed with 50 low-risk mHSPC patients from the external validation dataset and found both the time to CRPC, and the OS in the unfavorable-risk group was significantly worse than that of the favorable-risk group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of Gleason pattern 5, high alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase can predict those with worse OS in low-risk mHSPC patients.

Trimodal therapy with high-dose-rate brachytherapy and hypofractionated external beam radiation combined with long-term androgen deprivation for unfavorable-risk prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: To assess the outcomes of high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy and hypofractionated external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) combined with long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in very-high-risk (VHR) versus high-risk (HR) prostate cancer (PCa), as defined in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) criteria. METHODS: Data from 338 consecutive HR or VHR PCa patients who had undergone this tri-modal therapy between 2005 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free, progression-free, overall, and cancer-specific survival (BCRFS/PFS/OS/CSS) rates were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Wilcoxon test. Cox regression models were used to evaluate candidate prognostic factors for survival. C­indexes were used to assess model discrimination. RESULTS: Within a median follow-up of 84 months, 68 patients experienced BCR, 58 had disease progression including only 3 with local progression, 27 died of any cause, and 2 died from PCa. The 5­year BCRFS, PFS, OS, and CSS rates were 82.2% (HR 86.5%; VHR 70.0%), 90.0% (HR 94.3%; VHR 77.6%), 95.7% (HR, 97.1%; VHR, 91.8%), and 99.6% (HR, 100%; VHR, 98.0%), respectively. In multivariable analyses that adjusted for standard clinicopathologic features, the risk subclassification was associated both PFS and OS (p = 0.0003 and 0.001, respectively). Adding the risk subclassification improved the accuracy of models in predicting BCRFS, PFS, and OS. CONCLUSION: While the outcome of this trimodal approach appears favorable, VHR PCa patients had significantly worse oncological outcomes than those with HR PCa. The NCCN risk subclassification should be integrated into prognostic tools to guide risk stratification, treatment, and follow-up for unfavorable PCa patients receiving this trimodal therapy.

Interstitial fibroblasts in donor kidneys predict late posttransplant anemia.

BACKGROUND: Posttransplant anemia (PTA) is associated with the progression of kidney disease and mortality in kidney transplant recipients. Although the main causes of PTA are recipient factors, donor factors have not been fully investigated. In this study we investigated the association of donor pathological findings with the incidence of PTA in kidney transplant recipients after 3 years of transplantation. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a single university hospital. A total of 50 consecutive adult recipients and donors were enrolled. To assess the structure of interstitial lesions, immunohistochemical staining of interstitial fibrosis and fibroblasts were assessed in 0-h biopsies for quantitative analysis. RESULTS: The incidence of PTA in this cohort was 30%. The mean hemoglobin (Hb) was 11.6 ± 0.8 g/dL in patients with PTA and 14.3 ± 1.5 g/dL in patients without PTA. An inverse association was observed in biopsies between interstitial fibrosis area and interstitial fibroblast area (P < 0.01) and each pathological finding was examined for its association with PTA incidence after multivariate adjustment. For the interstitial fibrosis area, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.94 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-2.99; P < 0.01]. For the interstitial fibroblast area, the OR was 0.01 (95% CI 0.00-0.16; P < 0.01). Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis indicated that the interstitial fibroblast area had high predictive power for the incidence of PTA. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of interstitial fibroblasts in donor kidneys may play an important role in predicting the incidence of PTA.

A Case of Transplant Nephrectomy due to Chronic Graft Intolerance Syndrome.

We report a case of graft intolerance syndrome in which transplant nephrectomy was performed 11 years after kidney transplantation. A 46-year-old man was admitted to our hospital in February 2018 with a mild fever, left lower abdominal pain, and gross hematuria with enlargement of the transplanted kidney. Urinary tract infection was ruled out. Because the symptoms developed after the immunosuppressants had been stopped after kidney graft loss, graft intolerance syndrome was suspected. He had lost his graft in 2016 and had stopped all immunosuppressants since January of 2017. Immunosuppressive therapy was intensified, and steroid half-pulse therapy was added for 3 days. After the steroid pulse therapy, the C-reactive protein (CRP) decreased from 6.47 mg/dL to 0.76 mg/dL, but there was little improvement in the symptoms, and the CRP then increased to 4.44 mg/dL. Transplant nephrectomy was performed in March 2018. Postoperatively, the symptoms disappeared without the administration of immunosuppressants, and the CRP decreased. Pathologically, the resected kidney graft showed persistent active allograft rejection with severe endarteritis, transplant glomerulopathy, and diffuse interstitial fibrosis. Massive thrombi occluded the large arteries, and there was extensive hemorrhagic cortical necrosis. Transplant nephrectomy is uncommon in patients >6 months after transplantation. However, even if more time has passed since transplantation, as in this case, transplant nephrectomy may be a valid option in some cases of severe graft intolerance syndrome.

Kidney Transplant Graftectomy by Severe Mixed-Type Rejection with Acute and Chronic Active Vascular Lesions at Entire Levels of the Renal Vasculature.

Vascular lesions related to allograft rejection have a big impact on graft survival. As such, investigation of these lesions is important to understand the pathophysiology of rejection and its management. We report a case of kidney transplant graftectomy by severe mixed-type rejection with acute and chronic active vascular lesions caused by non-adherence to immunosuppressive treatment. The patient presented is a 29-year-old male who received a kidney transplantation in July 2011 (ABO compatible) from his father. He then did not come to the hospital for 3 months prior to his admission and also made his own decision to stop his medication regimen. On October 2013, the patient came to the hospital with dyspnea, nausea, and vomiting and had significant renal dysfunction (serum Cr 30.4 mg/dL, BUN 191 mg/dL). A kidney graft biopsy showed cortical necrosis with severe interstitial hemorrhage and thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Despite steroid pulse therapy, kidney graft function did not recover, and the patient underwent a subsequent graft resection. The resected kidney graft displayed various vascular lesions from the renal artery to the interlobular arteries and arterioles including endarteritis, TMA, fibrinoid necrosis, and transplant arteriopathy. This case shows the detailed pathological findings of the vascular lesions in the entire artery tree of kidney allograft, and the pathophysiology is discussed.

Association Between Galactose-Deficient IgA1 Derived From the Tonsils and Recurrence of IgA Nephropathy in Patients Who Underwent Kidney Transplantation.

Background: Recurrence of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) in the transplanted kidney is associated with graft survival, but no specific treatment is available. Tonsillectomy (TE) reportedly arrests the progression of IgAN in the native kidney. Thus, we conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study to evaluate the effect of TE prior to IgAN recurrence. Methods: Of the 36 patients with biopsy-proven IgAN who underwent kidney transplantation, 27 were included in this study. Nine patients underwent TE at 1 year after kidney transplantation (group 1), and the remaining 18 did not undergo TE (group 2). Results: The rate of histological IgAN recurrence was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (11.1 vs. 55.6%, log-rank p = 0.046). In addition, half of the recurrent patients in group 2 exhibited active lesions, compared to none in group 1. Serum Gd-IgA1 levels decreased after TE in group 1, whereas they remained stable or increased slightly in group 2. In the recurrent cases, IgA and Gd-IgA1 were found in the germinal center in addition to the mantle zone of tonsils. Finally, mesangial IgA and Gd-IgA1 immunoreactivity was reduced after TE in some cases. Conclusion: Our data suggest that TE at 1 year after kidney transplantation might be associated with the reduced rate of histological IgAN recurrence. TE arrested or reduced serum Gd-IgA1 and mesangial Gd-IgA1 immunoreactivity. Therefore, we generated a hypothesis that serum Gd-IgA1 derived from the tonsils may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of IgAN. Based on these findings, we need to conduct verification in a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Blood platelet volume predicts treatment-specific outcomes of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: In the present guidelines for the management of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), it is unclear who benefits most from androgen receptor axis-targeted agents (ARATs) or docetaxel as the first-line treatment. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study to explore new treatment-specific biomarkers in mCRPC. A total of 211 patients with mCRPC who received either ARAT or docetaxel as first-line treatment were included. Patients were compared for radiographic progression and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to assess the association between pretreatment biomarkers and risk of events. The statistical interaction between biomarkers and clinical outcomes was also evaluated. RESULTS: Of all analyzed biomarkers, multivariable Cox regression models identified MPV [≤ median (9.7 fL)] as an independent prognostic factor of radiographic progression [hazard ratio (HR), 2.35; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15-4.80; P = 0.019] and PSA progression (HR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.01-3.95; P = 0.048) in patients treated with ARAT, whereas such associations were not observed in those treated with docetaxel. Interaction analyses showed that those initially treated with docetaxel have lower risk of radiographic progression (HR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.13-0.79; P = 0.014) and PSA progression (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.23-0.98; P = 0.044) than ARAT when MPV was small. CONCLUSIONS: The present study identified pretreatment MPV as a significant treatment-specific prognostic factor of PSA and radiographic progression in patients with mCRPC who received first-line treatment. Furthermore, our results suggested that those with small MPV may better be treated initially with docetaxel than ARAT.