Francesco Celestino

Hexaminolevulinate hydrochloride in the detection of nonmuscle invasive cancer of the bladder

Clinical trials have shown that hexaminolevulinate (HAL) fluorescence cystoscopy improves the detection of bladder tumors compared with standard white-light cystoscopy, resulting in more efficacious treatment. However, some recent meta-analyses report controversially on recurrence-free rates with this procedure. A systematic review of literature was performed from December 2014 to January 2015 using the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases for controlled trials on photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) with HAL. A total of 154 publications were found up to January 2015. Three of the authors separately reviewed the records to evaluate eligibility and methodological quality of clinical trials. A total of 16 publications were considered eligible for analysis. HAL–PDD-guided cystoscopy increased overall tumor detection rate (proportion difference 19%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.152–0.236) although the benefit was particularly significant in patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS) lesion (proportion difference 15.7%, 95% CI 0.069–0.245) and was reduced in papillary lesions (Ta proportion difference 5.9%, 95% CI 0.014–0.103 and T1 proportion difference 1.2%, 95% CI 0.033–0.057). Moreover, there were 15% of patients (95% CI 0.098–0.211) with at least one additional tumor seen with PDD. With regard to recurrence rates, the data sample was insufficient for a statistical analysis, although the evaluation of raw data showed a trend in favor of HAL–PDD. This meta-analysis confirms the increased tumor detection rate by HAL–PDD with a most pronounced benefit for CIS lesion.

Localised prostate cancer and hemophilia A (AHA): Case report and management of the disease

Acquired Hemophilia A (AHA) is a rare bleeding diathesis characterized by the development of autoantibodies against factor VIII (FVIII). About half of the cases are idiopathic and the other half are associated with autoimmune diseases, postpartum problems, infections, inflammatory bowel disease, drugs, lymphoproliferative disorders or solid tumors . AHA is associated with malignancies in 7-15% of cases. We report a case of AHA in a 65 year old patient with prostatic carcinoma, who underwent retropubic radical prostatectomy (RP).

Intravesical electro-osmotic administration of mitomycin C

Bladder cancer is very common and most cases are diagnosed as nonmuscle invasive disease, which is characterized by its propensity to recur and progress. Intravesical therapy is used to delay recurrence and progression, while cystectomy is reserved for patients who are refractory to transurethral resection and intravesical therapy. There is an increasing interest in methods to enhance the delivery of intravesical chemotherapeutic agents to improve efficacy. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that electro-osmosis of mitomycin C (MMC) is more effective in delivering this drug into the urothelium, lamina propria, and superficial muscle layers of the bladder wall than is passive transport. Higher MMC tissue concentrations might have a clinical impact in the treatment of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). In randomized trials, intravesical electro-osmotic MMC was associated with superior response rate in high-risk NMIBC cancer, compared with passive diffusion MMC transport. New strategies such as intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) combined with electro-osmotic MMC as well as intravesical pre-operative electro-osmotic MMC provided promising results in terms of higher remission rates and longer remission times. Device-assisted intravesical chemotherapy may be a useful ancillary procedure in the treatment of NMIBC. Its evaluation must be planned with respect to the technical functioning of equipment and their use for a clear purpose to avoid the financial and human costs associated with incorrect therapies.

Intravesical therapy with Mitomycin through Electromotive Drug Administration

In the management of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), high-level evidence supports the widespread practice of intravesical therapy with mitomycin-C (MMC). Randomized trials showed a significant reduction in short-term recurrence compared with transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) alone, but little effect on long-term and no impact at all in preventing progression. Electromotive drug administration (EMDA®) offers a means of controlling and enhancing the tissue transport of certain drugs, in order to increase their efficacy. In both laboratory and clinical studies, intravesical electromotive drug administration (EMDA) increases MMC bladder uptake, resulting in an improved clinical efficacy in NMIBC without systemic side effects. New frameworks for treatment of NMIBC — e.g., sequential intravesical BCG and EMDA/MMC, as well as intravesical EMDA/MMC immediately before TURBT — have provided promising preliminary results with higher remission rates and longer remission times, and they are a priority to minimise the costs of disease management. These findings suggest EMDA-enhanced MMC efficacy against urothelial cancer could be a major therapeutic breakthrough in the treatment of NMIBC.