The Impact of Gender on Tumour Stage in In-House Complications and Choice of Urinary Diversion: Results of the Austrian Cystectomy Registry.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Bladder cancer is characterized by gender-dependent disparities. To further address this issue, we analysed a prospective, multicentre cystectomy registry. METHODS: An online database was developed that included patient demographics, intra/perioperative data, surgical data and in-house complications. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-eight patients (112 [24.5%] women and 346 [75.5%] men) were analysed. Men and women were comparable regarding age (mean 68 years), body mass index (mean 26.5) and the mean Charlson score (4.8). Women had more advanced tumour-stages (pT3/pT4; women: 57.1%; men: 48.1%). The rate of incontinent urinary diversion was higher in women (83.1%) than in men (60.2%) and in a multivariate analysis, the strongest predictors were M+ status (OR 11.2), female gender (OR 6.9) and age (OR 6.5). Women had a higher intraoperative blood transfusion rate. The overall rate of in-house complications was similar in both genders (men: 32.0%, women: 32.6%). Severe (Clavien-Dindo grade >2) medical (women: 6.3%; men: 5.2%) and surgical (women: 21.5%; men: 14.4%) in-house complications, however, were more frequent in women. CONCLUSIONS: This multicentre registry demonstrates several gender-related differences in patients undergoing radical cystectomy. The higher transfusion rate, the rare use of orthotopic bladder substitutes and the higher in-house complication rate underline the higher complexity of this procedure in women.

The value of extended transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) in the treatment of bladder cancer.

UNLABELLED: Transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) is the 'gold standard' in the diagnosis and therapy of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. To improve the quality of this technique an additional TUR (after 4-6 weeks) or a simultaneous photodynamic diagnosis is often offered. The present study shows different variables that influence, to a greater or lesser extent, the accuracy of the TUR diagnosis and the success of the operation. This is very important for the further management of bladder cancer, be it in tumour follow-up or in preparation for more invasive therapies. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the impact of a standardised extended transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) protocol on the determination of the residual tumour status at initial TURBT session and recurrence rate in the primary resection area. Despite, the fact that there is a clear consensus on the aims of TURBT, there is little agreement on how to perform TURBT to achieve that goal. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 221 consecutive patients, who underwent 305 TURBT sessions for bladder cancer, including patients with recurrent tumours. All the TURBTs were extended by taking additional deep and marginal specimens, according to a standardised protocol. Clinical and histopathological data were retrieved from the patients' records. RESULTS: Across all tumour stages, residual tumour (pR1) was found in 38% of the additionally taken specimens. There was a significant association of pR1 status with tumour stage, grade, and size. Also in the group of non-muscle-invading tumours, the rate of R1 resection was rather high at 22%. There was no association with focality and the training status of the surgeon. At follow-up, of all the patients with a unifocal primary tumour there was recurrence in the same area as the primary in 5.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Extended TURBT provides detailed information about the horizontal and vertical extent of the bladder tumour. The implementation of standardised TURBT procedures, such as our protocol of an extended TURBT, is greatly needed to improve local tumour control. Whether a diagnostic re-TUR may be restricted to those cases with positive margins or ground specimens remains to be studied.

15-year survival rates after transurethral resection and radiochemotherapy or radiation in bladder cancer treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate 15-year experience with patients treated with transurethral resection (TUR) of a bladder tumor (TURBT) followed by radiochemotherapy (RCT) or radiation (RT) and to describe the association of different parameters with clinical outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Bladder cancer patients (473) who underwent TURBT and RCT or RT with curative intent between 1982 and 2007 in our clinic were evaluated. The clinical course, operative and pathological characteristics and the long-term clinical outcome were assessed. RESULTS: Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 70.4% of the patients. The 5-, 10- and 15-year overall survival rates were 49%, 30% and 19%, respectively. Long-term results were significantly affected by pT stage, lymphatic vessel invasion, residual tumor status, lymph node metastasis, kind of therapy (RCT vs. RT), and the response as confirmed by restaging TUR after RCT/RT. CONCLUSION: Organ-preservation therapy in patients with bladder cancer is a valid option compared to radical cystectomy in selected patients, ideally with early-stage bladder cancer, in whom a complete transurethral resection of the tumor can be accomplished and radiochemotherapy is superior to radiation for favorable long-term outcome.

Assessment and characterisation of common renal masses with CT and MRI.

OBJECTIVE: Owing to the widespread use of abdominal imaging studies the detection rate of solid renal masses has increased, and an accurate characterisation of imaging features of renal masses has become more essential for case management. METHOD AND RESULTS: MR imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) are frequently used modalities for detection and differentiation of renal masses. This article gives a review of imaging characteristics of benign and malignant renal masses, discussing their appearance in CT and MR imaging. Advanced MR techniques like diffusion-weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping, which have shown promising results in the differentiation between benign and malignant renal lesions, will be introduced. CONCLUSION: MRI and CT are useful in the characterisation and estimation of the prognosis for renal masses.

Serotonin used as prognostic marker of urological tumors.

INTRODUCTION: In regard to therapy and prognosis of urological tumors, specific tumor markers are lacking especially in renal and urinary bladder carcinoma. Our study examines the relevance of serum serotonin levels to urinary bladder, prostate, renal, and testicular carcinoma when it comes to prognosis and occurrence of these oncological conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serotonin levels were obtained in 109 patients presenting with urothelial carcinoma to the urinary bladder, adenocarcinoma of the prostate and renal cell carcinoma, as well as presenting with seminomatous and non-seminomatous testicular tumors. All of these conditions varied in grades and metastases. Serum levels were drawn between 7 and 8 a.m. exclusively in order to avoid circadian changes. RESULTS: Serotonin levels in urothelial carcinoma appeared within pathological range in correlation with tumor stage, life expectancy, and statistical significant with distant metastases. In prostate carcinoma, serotonin levels showed a tendency with organ exceeding growth, Grading/Gleason Score, PSA values >100 ng/ml, and the presence of distant metastases. In renal cell carcinoma, serotonin levels were decreased in patients with lymph node and distant metastases; there was no significant correlation with extent of infiltration. In regard to testicular carcinoma, decreased serotonin levels were merely noted in mixed tumors and the one extragonadal seminoma. Otherwise there was no correlation observed with stage and grade as well as with common tumor markers (AFP/betaHCG). CONCLUSION: Serotonin levels are suitable for prognostic evaluation of urothelial carcinoma in the urinary bladder, adenocarcinoma of the prostate, and renal cell carcinoma, especially taking into account the lab cost of 25 per test.

Solitary metastasis of a Merkel cell tumor to the urinary bladder.

The primary Merkel cell carcinoma, a neuroendocrine tumor, mostly appears on skin areas exposed to light. Complete excision with a safety margin plus local lymphadenectomy is the basic therapy. In cases of relapse or metastasis, surgical treatment is also the first choice. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy are used only for a palliative purpose. To date, in no case of metastasis has healing occurred. Lymphogenic and hematogenic metastasizing to the urinary bladder is rare, however infiltrating tumor growth into the urinary bladder occurs more frequently. In urology, the Merkel cell tumor has been detected only sporadically, while infiltration of the bladder has been described in three cases worldwide. We report the case of a patient with a single metastasis of a Merkel cell tumor in the urinary bladder, after excision of the femoral primary cancer two years earlier.