Ambati S. Narayana

Cryosurgery in prostatic cancer: Survival

From 1969 through 1976 we performed cryosurgery in 229 cases of prostatic cancer. This article presents survival in cryosurgery and other treatment groups. In every stage, despite a preponderance of large primary tumors and poor-risk patients, cryosurgery matched total prostatectomy and compared favorably to other modalities, including radiation therapy, at our center and elsewhere. According to previous authors, and in view of the present data, eradication of the local lesion is associated with better survival even in advanced cases. Cryosurgery provides a safe, effective method.

The presence of creatine kinase bb isoenzyme in patients with prostatic cancer

Creatine kinase BB isoenzyme (CK-BB) was detected in abnormal amounts in serum samples from 11 of 46 patients with Stage D carcinoma of the prostate by electrophoresis. Thirteen of 46 Stage D patients had elevated acid phosphatase values and 10 of these 13 had elevated CK-BB. CK-BB elevations were less frequent in earlier stages of prostatic cancer; Stage C: 0 of 35, Stage B: 1 of 26, Stage A: 0 of 3 and none in a group of 35 with BPH, prostatitis and bladder cancer. Results of CK-BB by a specific radioimmunoassay correlated well with those obtained by electrophoresis in most cases. Several patients were followed over time and data on CK-BB is presented for this interval. The origin of the CK-BB is still unclear. The BB isoenzyme predominates in prostatic tissue and CK-BB is the fetal form of the enzyme in human muscle and myocardium. The increase in serum CK-BB may be related to increased release of the isoenzyme, either from the prostate itself or from a metastatic lesion, or may represent a release of the fetal form of the enzyme from dedifferentiated tumor tissue.

Cryosurgery in prostatic cancer: Elimination of local lesion

From 1969 through 1976, we performed cryosurgery in 229 cases of prostatic cancer. Most of these patients had bulky, locally extensive primary tumors, and one-half had disseminated disease. Through the open perineal approach, which gives exposure for an adequate freeze, cryosurgery has been well tolerated. The primary surgical goal has been to reduce or eliminate the local lesion to minimize subsequent cancer-related lower urinary tract problems and to cure those patients with truly localized disease. In every case cryosurgery produced dramatic shrinkage of the local lesion. After four to eight weeks a local recurrence was suspected in 13 per cent, and 41 per cent eventually had some evidence of a recurrent cancer nodule or persistent cancer in the bladder neck. In a series of statistical analyses we have related these recurrences to other clinical factors. Cryosurgery has been a safe, effective way to reduce or eliminate the primary prostatic cancer, even in patients with large local lesions.

Use of intravesical cisplatin and mitomycin-C for recurrent transitional cell carcinoma of bladder refractory to thiotepa

Superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (TCCaB) has a high incidence of recurrence. Intravesical thiotepa is the drug used most often for treatment. Intravesical mitomycin-C also has shown promise. Cisplatin has proven activity in patients with metastatic TCCaB and in experimental bladder cancer models. Patients who have no response to one intravesical agent such as thiotepa may respond to other agent(s) such as mitomycin-C or cisplatin. In this report we have evaluated 10 patients with superficial recurrent TCCaB who showed no response to intravesical thiotepa and were subsequently treated with mitomycin-C or cisplatin. Six patients were treated with cisplatin and 4 with mitomycin-C. The 4 treated with mitomycin-C had complete response or partial response within three months. Of the 6 treated with cisplatin, 4 had complete response within three months, and 2 had no response.