High-Dose Rate Brachyther-apy in the Treatment of Early Stages of Penile Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial low dose rate brachyther-apy is established organ spar-ing treatment of T1- T2 penile carcinoma. Experience with high-dose rate brachyther-apy is limited in this indication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients with early penile carcinoma were treated by high-dose rate brachyther-apy at dose 18 × 3 Gy per fraction twice daily between 2002- 2018 at the Department of Oncology and Radiother-apy, University Hospital in Hradec Kralove. Breast interstitial brachyther-apy template was used for fixation and precise geometry reconstruction of stainless hollow needles. RESULTS: Median follow up was 85 months (range 7- 200 months). Acute reaction usually consisted of grade 2 mucositis that dissolved dur-ing 8 weeks after the treatment. Local recurrence occurred in 6 patients, 5 of them were successfully treated with partial amputation. One patient had a nodal recurrence successfully salvaged by lymphadenectomy. One patient developed necrosis of the glans requir-ing partial amputation. Currently, there are 24 patients alive without signs of dis-ease. One patient died of cardiac comorbidity, one died of duplicate lung cancer. Nineteen patients have a preserved penis (73%), 18 of them sexually active before treatment report satisfactory intercourse. CONCLUSION: Hyperfractionated interstitial high-dose rate brachyther-apy with 18 × 3 Gy per fraction twice daily is a promis-ing method in selected patients with penile carcinoma and deserves further evaluation in a larger prospective study. Key words penile neoplasms -  conservative treatment -  brachyther-apy This work was supported by programm Progres Q40. The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers. Submitted: 8. 1. 2019 Accepted: 15. 1. 2019.

Asynchronous tumour quadruplicity: rectosigmoid adenocarcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, prostate adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine small-cell lung cancer - a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple tumors belong to rare cancers. Almost all malignancies may occur in combination, the most common combination being gastrointestinal cancer with respiratory or urogenital tract cancer and with breast cancer in females. CASE REPORT: In 1999, a 66-year-old patient was diagnosed with a rectosigmoid tumor histologically proven as adenocarcinoma. Rectosigmoid resection was performed, followed by adjuvant radiotherapy and the Mayo Clinic FU/FA chemotherapy regimen. Radical nephrectomy was performed in January 2005 due to right kidney tumor, histologically detected as clear cell carcinoma. In February 2006, the patient underwent bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy for biopsy-verified adenocarcinoma of the prostate with PSA 20.8 ng/ml. Radical prostatectomy was performed in April 2006. Histology demonstrated moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma in both prostatic lobes classified as Gleason score 4 (1+3), without invasion into the capsule or seminal vesicles infiltration. In June 2016, a native X-ray of the lungs revealed a subpleural small dense node in the right upper pulmonary field. PET/CT of the trunk was also performed showing liver metastasis and pulmonary deposits, including enlargement of the mediastinal nodules. In October 2016, liver biopsy was taken and the serum level of neuron-specific enolase (NSE: 93 ng/ml) was measured. Histology demonstrated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the small cell type. In November 2016, palliative chemotherapy with carboplatin and etoposide administered once a month was initiated. After 4 chemotherapy cycles, no deposits on the liver were detected by sonography. A native X-ray image of the lungs still showed a 15mm deposit, but NSE levels returned to normal. In March 2017, treatment continued with palliative radiotherapy of the right lung, mediastinal lymphatic nodes and prophylactic radiotherapy of the skull was planned as a next step. In August 2017, the patient died due to renal function failure and deterioration of the general condition. CONCLUSION: The patient worked in uranium mines and underwent radio-chemotherapy after the first malignancy - rectosigmoid tumor. Genetic examination was not performed. The patient died of therapeutic complications of the last malignancy. Our case report does not confirm findings described so far - a shortening interval between malignancies - but confirms their increasing aggressiveness. Key words: quadruplicity - rectosigmoid adenocarcinoma - renal-cell carcinoma - prostate adenocarcinoma - neuroendocrine small-cell lung cancer.

Clear-cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses in the right genitofemoral line - a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Our case report presents a rare occurrence of clear cell sarcoma in the genitofemoral line region that has not been described to date. CASE REPORT: A 57-year-old male patient with clear-cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses is presented. The patient underwent a radical operation and adjuvant radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: The patient is still alive, in a good health condition, without local recurrence or generalised disease. Key words: clear-cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses - genitofemoral line.

[Non-specific immunotherapy inhibits angiogenesis - results of the monitoring of serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinase 8 in patients with malignant melanoma receiving adjuvant high-dose interferon therapy]. / Nespecifická imunoterapie inhibuje angiogenezi - výsledky monitorování sérových hladin vaskulárního endotelového rustového faktoru a matrixmetaloproteinázy 8 v prubehu adjuvantní lécby vysokodávkovaným interferonem u pacientu s maligním melanomem.

OBJECTIVE: Interestingly, evidence is currently emerging that the activation of angiogenesis leads to immunomodulatory/immunosuppressive effects both at the local and systemic levels. These are very complex and interconnected processes. In this study, our aim was to establish interferon alpha-2b as an anti-angiogenic agent and show the complexity of angiogenesis and immunomodulation through the serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP-8) in high-risk resected malignant melanoma before and after adjuvant therapy with high-dose interferon alpha-2b (HDI). Clinical outcomes of patients were also evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We prospectively measured the serum levels of VEGF and MMP-8 by ELISA in 29 patients with high-risk resected malignant melanoma receiving adjuvant HDI. Blood samples were collected before and within one week after the treatment. RESULTS: To see the results clearly, we divided our patients into two groups. The first group of patients whose VEGF serum level decreased after HDI (66%) showed long-term complete remission. The mean VEGF serum level in these patients decreased from 779.4 pg/ml to 446.2 pg/ml. This downward trend in VEGF was statistically significant. The second group of patients who did not show a decrease in VEGF serum level after HDI (34%) had no clinical benefit from the treatment. The mean VEGF serum levels in group 2 patients were 408 pg/ml before the treatment and 500 pg/ml after HDI. Results for MMP-8 were ambivalent. CONCLUSIONS: Non-specific immunotherapy with interferons reduces angiogenesis. Our results are in line with the current view of the interconnection and complexity of angiogenesis and immunomodulation/immunosuppression. Non-specific immunotherapy with interferons disrupts the immunosup-pressive effect of the angiogenesis on the development of immune response against tumours and supports anti-tumour response in both direct and indirect way. The interference of HDI with the activation of angiogenesis and tumour progression could explain good clinical outcomes of patients with a decrease in serum VEGF. The outcomes of MMP-8 are inconclusive, its role remain unclear, and MMP-8 does not seem to function as a tumour suppressor.

[Five-year results of IMRT for prostate cancer - tumor control]. / Petileté výsledky IMRT karcinomu prostaty - kontrola nádoru.

BACKGROUND: Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is the method of choice in external-beam radiotherapy tolocalized prostate cancer. This work analyses five year results of IMRT with a dose of 78/82 Gy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From June 2003 to December 2007, the IMRT technique was employed to treat 233 patients with T1-3 N0 M0 prostate cancer. It was supplemented by hormone therapy especially in high-risk patients. Two IMRT techniques were applied - IMRT with a dose of 78 Gy in 39 fractions to prostate and seminal vesicles (SV) (IMRT 78) and IMRT with simultaneous integrated 82 Gy boost to prostate concurrently with 73,8 Gy in 41 fractions to SV (IMRT SIB 82). The IMRT 78 technique was used in 160 patients (69%). Seventy-three (31%) patients with intermediate (IR) or high-risk (HR) prostate cancer without SV involvement were treated with IMRT SIB 82 technique. The PSA relapse was defined as an increase in PSA of at least 2.0 ng/mL above the nadir or in comparison to the value at the initiation of hormone therapy. Clinical relapse was defined as an occurence of distant metastases and/or local recurrence. RESULTS: The median follow-up of our patients´ population was 4.3 years (range 0.6-8.9 years). The estimated 5-year PSA relapse-free survival in low-risk (LR), IR and HR patients was 86%, 89% and 83%, respectively (p = NS). In a multivariate analysis, Gleason score (GS) 8-10 was associated with significantly higher risk of PSA relapse (RR 2.76), while higher age at the time of diagnosis significantly decreased the PSA relapse risk (RR 0.94). The estimated 5-year clinical relapse-free survival in LR, IR and HR patients was 100%, 99% and 95%, respectively (p = NS). In a univariate analysis, both GS and PSA had a significant impact on the 5-year clinical relapse-free survival - GS 2-7 97 % vs GS 8-10 88 % (p = 0.03), PSA 20 98 % vs PSA > 20 85 % (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Treatment of localized prostate cancer using IMRT with a dose 78/82 Gy yielded an excellent 5-year tumour control with a risk of clinical relapse being less than 5%.

[Changes in target volumes definition by using MRI for prostate bed radiotherapy planning--preliminary results]. / Zmeny cílových objemu pri pouzití magnetické rezonance pro plánování radioterapie luzka prostaty--predbezné výsledky.

BACKGROUNDS: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used quite routinely in radiotherapy treatment planning in the primary radiotherapy of prostate cancer as it provides more contrast imaging of soft tissues in the small pelvis than planning CT, thanks to which it allows more exact delineation of target volumes and thus the saving of organs at risk We tried to verify whether it is possible to use MRI by analogy in the planning of prostate bed radiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twentyone patients indicated for prostate bed radiotherapy were considered in this study. Here we present the preliminary results of 10 of them. Four patients were indicated for adjuvant, 6 for salvage radiotherapy. All the patients underwent, besides standard planning CT, MRI in the same position. Target volumes and organs at risk were delineated into CT,T1 and T2 MRI images - clinical target volume (CTV), planning target volume (PTV), urinary bladder and rectum. Based on the merging of images, the volumes delineated in MRI were copied into planning CT, where the evaluation was done. We evaluated the volumes of each structure, agreement in contouring with the help of the rate of union and intersection of the volumes and with Cohen's kappa, and 3D differences between volumes of CTV on CT, T1 and T2 MRI. RESULTS: Statistically, volumes of CTV and PTV are not significantly different. The volume of the rectum is significantly smaller on T1 and also T2 MRI images. The index of agreement (union/intersection) is statistically significantly different from 1 for CTV and PTV as well. Cohen's kappa indicates moderate agreement for CTV CT and T1, T1 and T2 MRI, fair agreement for CTV CT and T2 MRI, and substantial agreement for PTV. In the superior and superolateral direction, the CTV volume on MRI in the central plane is smaller on T1 and T2 images. In the area of seminal vesicles (SV) the cranial border is similar on CT and MRI. In the superoposterior direction, the volume of CTV is smaller on CT than on T1 and T2 MRI, which means, that seminal vesicles are delineated larger in the posterior direction on MRI (about 0.24cm on T1; by about 0.20cm on T2 images). In the posterior direction, there are no differences in CTV on CT and T1 while on T2 the CTV is larger (a difference of 0.29 cm). In the posterolateral direction, CTV is smaller on T1 MRI than on CT on both sides, on the right as well as on the left. CONCLUSION: Preliminary results suggest that clinical target volume defined with the help of MRI is shifted compared with CTV defined on planning CT. The agreement of CTV delineation by one radiation oncologist is moderate to fair and is similar to interobserver variability in the contouring of the prostate bed in the planning CT. MRI provides more contrast imaging of the anterior rectal wall, where we have confirmed the most differences in contouring. Moreover, it provides better imaging of local recurrences and seminal vesicles, where the most differences in our group of patients were seen in comparison with planning CT.

Time course of late rectal toxicity after radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Rectum and bladder are the crucial organs at risk for curative radiation therapy of localized prostate cancer. We analyzed the incidence, profile and time course of late rectal radiation toxicity. A total of 320 patients with T1-3 prostate cancer were treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT). The prescription dose was 70 Gy for T1 and T2 patients (n=230) and 74 Gy for patients with locally advanced T3 tumors (n=90). Late rectal toxicity was graded according to the Fox Chase modification of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) and Late Effects Normal Tissue Task Force (LENT) criteria. The median follow-up time was 6.2 years (range 0.2-10.7 years). At 5 years, the risk for the development of grade 2 and 3 rectal toxicities was 15.6 and 7.0%, respectively. All new cases of grade 2 and 3 rectal toxicities were observed within 5 years after treatment. Prevalence of grade 2 and 3 rectal symptoms showed fluctuation with maximum at 1.5 years and the minor peak at 4.5 years. Toxicity profile changed significantly over time. The proportion of rectal bleeding within grade 2 and 3 toxicity decreased from 85% at 1.5 years to 46% at 4.5 years. Conversely, the proportion of fecal incontinence among grade 2 and 3 rectal symptoms gradually increased (0% at 1.5 years vs 27% at 4.5 years). Late rectal radiation toxicity represents a dynamic process. Rectal bleeding decreases and fecal incontinence increases over time.

[A case of an asynchronic triple tumorous disorder: a rectal adenocarcinoma, a carcinoma of the kidney and a prostatic adenocarcinoma--case report]. / Asynchronní triplicitní výskyt nádorového onemocnení: adenokarcinomu rekta, karcinomu ledviny a adenokarcinomu prostaty--kazuistika.

The authors describe occurence asynchronic tumor triplicity. In the year 1980 in 56 years old patient had histologically proven rectal adenocarcinoma and consequently was done radical Miles amputation of rectum. In December 1991 in the same patient was histologically proven well differentiated adenocarcinoma of prostate after transurethral resection of prostate. Prostate cancer was threated bilateral orchiectomy (March 1992) and consequently from April to June 1992 was done small-volume irradiation of pelvic by Betatron X-ray, box technique with dosage 70 Gy. In November 1992 there was done radical transperitoneal nephrectomy on right side for renal carcinoma. Histologically was proven moderately differentiated clear cell renal carcinoma. In August 1994 was found suspected pulmonary metastases, wich was proof on CT in the January 1995. Therapy was Imodin, Wobenzym, Vinblastin. Patient was died of generalisation renal cancer in the February 1998. The carcinoma of prostate and rectum wasn't found in the autopsy. The authors emphasize pertinence radical surgical access incuding multiplex malignant tumors and consider to carry out oncology screening in the all of patients with proven malignant tumor.

[Asynchronous occurrence of three neoplastic diseases: chronic B-cell lymphatic leukemia, renal carcinoma and prostatic adenocarcinoma]. / Asynchronní triplicitní výskyt nádorového onemocnení: chronické B lymfatické leukemie, karcinomu ledviny a adenokarcinomu prostaty.

Authors present a case of three asynchronous malignancies in man working life-long in chemical industry. Course of diseases and their treatment are described: B chronic lymphatic leukaemia (B-CLL) (age of 55), conventional clear cell renal carcinoma (CRCC) (age of 61) and adenocarcinoma of prostate (CaP) (age of 72). B-CLL treatment was chlorambucil for 2 years and follow-up subsequently. CRCC treatment was radical transperitoneal nephrectomy. Due to locally advanced CaP bilateral orchiectomy and radical external beam radiotherapy were performed. Patients is alive 30 months without any signs of any malignity. Incidence of multiple malignancies and particularly triplicities are discussed in this article. Authors point out pertinence of radical therapeutic approach also in multiple malignancies and oncological screening not only in patients with heamatological malignancy, but considering it in all tumours.

[Fournier's gangrene]. / Fournierova gangréna.

The authors present their own experiences with diagnostics and treatment of men with necrotising fasciitis of the scrotum (Fournier's gangrene). During 1995-2001 8 men were treated for the above diagnosis at the Clinic of Urology, Faculty Hospital in Hradec Králové. Six cases were patients with diabetes type II, in one patient we found during basic examinations a large tumour of the sigmoid and one patient was 7 days after total scrotal orchiectomy (because of prostatic adenocarcinoma). Repeated open revision under general anaesthesia was performed in all men with necessary necrectomy, testicles were intact (except a patient after orchiectomy). The infection was spread into the hypogastric area in two patients and in one patient spontaneous rupture of bulbar urethra occurred. By a combination of antibiotic therapy and repeated necrectomies, open wound healing and wet compresses we achieved cure of infection and granulations, which made final scrotal plastic surgery possible. From microbiological point of view it was mixed aerobic and anaerobic flora.

[Continence in the orthotopic ileal bladder. Personal experience]. / Kontinence u ortotopického ileálního mechýre. Vlastní zkusenosti.

During 1989-1996 the authors selected after radical cystoprostatectomy on account of carcinoma in 43 men continent orthotopic derivation of urine. To create a neovesica the authors used a detubulized loop of the terminal ileum shaped in different modifications. The neovesica was connected with the urethra. After a time interval of 6-12 months they assessed anamnestically the continence and made a complete urodynamic study with uroflowmetry in 25 patients. After a 6-month time interval following operation they observed a significant instability of the neovesica. After 9-12 months all patients had a high-capacity low-pressure pouch. 90% of the patients were satisfied with the state of continence. The percentage of fully continent patients was higher in daytime (80%) than during the night (46%). Incontinence of varying extent (8-10%) was resolved satisfactorily by modern aids for incontinence.

[An unusual finding of penile carcinoma: case report]. / Neobvyklý nález karcinomu penisu: kazuistika.

The authors describe the radical treatment of two locally advanced tumours of the penis without detectable generalization. Both cases were resolved by radical surgery, emasculinization. With regard to the size of the tumour which infiltrated the area of the perineum and hypogastrium the covering of the defect after removal of the tumourous mass called for skin transplantations and tubular plastic operations. The authors describe also the complications which developed during the postoperative period and their solution.

[Rapidly progressing streptococcal sepsis in a patient after transplantation of a cadaver kidney]. / Rychle progredující streptokoková sepse u nemocného po transplantaci kadaverózní ledviny.

The authors submit the case-history of an adverse rapidly progressing phlegmon and septicaemia in a patient after transplantation of a cadaverous kidney with a functional graft. The patient was admitted repeatedly to the Transplantation Centre of the Urological Clinic, Faculty Hospital Hradec Králové with acute cellular rejection for corticosteroid treatment.