Ksenija Limani

Clinical impact of 68Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with prostate cancer with rising prostate-specific antigen after treatment with curative intent: preliminary analysis of a multidisciplinary approach

To assess the impact of a novel molecular imaging technique, 68Ga‐(HBED‐CC)‐prostate‐specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), in the clinical management of patients with prostate cancer with rising prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) after treatment with curative intent.

A prospective clinical trial of HIFU hemiablation for clinically localized prostate cancer

Background:Focal therapy is an emerging mini-invasive treatment modality for localized prostate cancer aimed to reduce the morbidity associated with radical therapy while maintaining optimal cancer control. We report the mid-term oncological and functional results of primary hemiablation high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in a prospective cohort of patients.Methods:Over 8 years, hemiablation HIFU was primarily performed in 50 selected patients with biopsy-proven clinically localized unilateral, low–intermediate risk prostate cancer in complete concordance with the prostate cancer lesions identified by magnetic resonance imaging with precise loci matching on multimodal approach. Post-treatment follow-up included regular serial PSA measurements. Biochemical recurrence was reported using Stuttgart and Phoenix criteria. The latter was used as a threshold to offer whole-gland biopsies.Results:Complete follow-up was available for all patients and the median follow-up was 39.5 months (range: 6–94). Mean nadir PSA value was 1.6 ng ml−1, which represents 72% reduction compared with initial PSA pre-treatment value (P<0.001). Median time to achieve PSA nadir was 3 months. Biochemical recurrence, according to Phoenix and Stuttgart definition, occurred in 28 and 36% of patients, respectively. The 5-year actuarial metastases-free survival, cancer-specific survival and overall survival rates were 93, 100 and 87%, respectively. Out of the eight patients undergoing biopsy, six patients had a positive biopsy for cancer occurring in the untreated contralateral (n=3) or treated ipsilateral lobe (n=1) or bilaterally (n=2). A Clavien–Dindo grade 3b complication occurred in two patients. Complete continence (no pads) and erection sufficient for intercourse were documented in 94 or 80% of patients, respectively.Conclusion:Hemiablation HIFU therapy, delivered with intention to treat, for carefully selected patients affords mid-term promising functional and oncological outcomes. The effectiveness of this technique should be now compared with whole-gland radical therapy.

Primary Zonal High Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Prostate Cancer: Results of a Prospective Phase IIa Feasibility Study

Aims. In this study we report our results with storage of cryopreserved semen intended for preservation and subsequent infertility treatment in men with testicular cancer during the last 18 years. Methods. Cryopreserved semen of 523 men with testicular cancer was collected between October 1995 and the end of December 2012. Semen of 34 men (6.5%) was used for fertilization of their partners. They underwent 57 treatment cycles with cryopreserved, fresh, and/or donor sperm. Results. A total of 557 men have decided to freeze their semen before cancer treatment. Seminoma was diagnosed in 283 men (54.1%) and nonseminomatous germ cell tumors in 240 men (45.9%). 34 patients who returned for infertility treatment underwent 46 treatment cycles with cryopreserved sperm. Totally 16 pregnancies were achieved, that is, 34.8% pregnancy rate. Conclusion. The testicular cancer survivors have a good chance of fathering a child by using sperm cryopreserved prior to the oncology treatment, even when it contains only limited number of spermatozoa.

Carcinome in situ vésical et urétral chez un patient transplanté rénal : échec de la BCG thérapie

We report the case of a 67-year-old patient, renal transplanted for two years, taken care for carcinoma in situ in bladder and urethra, and treated by intravesical instillations with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). After failure of a first treatment by Amétycine, a treatment by BCG is instituted during nine weeks. Two months after the end of the treatment, the patient died after bone and liver metastatic invasion of urothelial carcinoma. Management of urothelial high-risk tumour among renal transplanted patient is not clear. Despite successful treatments of few patients reported in literature, this failure called the question of the effectiveness of the BCG therapy in renal transplant patient and suggested an earlier attempt at diagnosis with systematic detection and aggressive therapeutic among these immunodepressed patients.

Single High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Session as a Whole Gland Primary Treatment for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer: 10-Year Outcomes

Objectives. To assess the treatment outcomes of a single session of whole gland high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for patients with localized prostate cancer (PCa). Methods. Response rates were defined using the Stuttgart and Phoenix criteria. Complications were graded according to the Clavien score. Results. At a median follow-up of 94months, 48 (44.4%) and 50 (46.3%) patients experienced biochemical recurrence for Phoenix and Stuttgart definition, respectively. The 5- and 10-year actuarial biochemical recurrence free survival rates were 57% and 40%, respectively. The 10-year overall survival rate, cancer specific survival rate, and metastasis free survival rate were 72%, 90%, and 70%, respectively. Preoperative high risk category, Gleason score, preoperative PSA, and postoperative nadir PSA were independent predictors of oncological failure. 24.5% of patients had self-resolving LUTS, 18.2% had urinary tract infection, and 18.2% had acute urinary retention. A grade 3b complication occurred in 27 patients. Pad-free continence rate was 87.9% and the erectile dysfunction rate was 30.8%. Conclusion. Single session HIFU can be alternative therapy for patients with low risk PCa. Patients with intermediate risk should be informed about the need of multiple sessions of HIFU and/or adjuvant treatments and HIFU performed very poorly in high risk patients.

3D versus 2D Systematic Transrectal Ultrasound-Guided Prostate Biopsy: Higher Cancer Detection Rate in Clinical Practice.

Objectives. To compare prostate cancer detection rates of extended 2D versus 3D biopsies and to further assess the clinical impact of this method in day-to-day practice. Methods. We analyzed the data of a cohort of 220 consecutive patients with no prior history of prostate cancer who underwent an initial prostate biopsy in daily practice due to an abnormal PSA and/or DRE using, respectively, the classical 2D and the new 3D systems. All the biopsies were done by a single experienced operator using the same standardized protocol. Results. There was no significant difference in terms of age, total PSA, or prostate volume between the two groups. However, cancer detection rate was significantly higher using the 3D versus the 2D system, 50% versus 34% (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference while comparing the 2 groups in term of nonsignificant cancer detection. Conclusion. There is reasonable evidence demonstrating the superiority of the 3D-guided biopsies in detecting prostate cancers that would have been missed using the 2D extended protocol.

Les complications rénales de la drépanocytose

Resume La drepanocytose dans sa forme homo ou heterozygote peut etre responsable de six complications renales “classiques” : hematurie macroscopique, infarctus renal, necrose papillaire, pyelonephrite aigue, syndrome nephrotique et troubles de la concentration des urines. Le carcinome medullaire du rein est considere comme la septieme complication. II est en effet statistiquement lie a la forme heterozygote de la drepanocytose. Nous avons fait le point sur les elements physiopathologiques et diagnostiques de ces differentes complications.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound versus Brachytherapy for the Treatment of Localized Prostate Cancer: A Matched-Pair Analysis.

Purpose. To evaluate postoperative morbidity and long term oncologic and functional outcomes of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) compared to brachytherapy for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. Material and Methods. Patients treated by brachytherapy were matched 1 : 1 with patients who underwent HIFU. Differences in postoperative complications across the two groups were assessed using Wilcoxons rank-sum or χ 2 test. Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank tests, and Cox regression models were constructed to assess differences in survival rates between the two groups. Results. Brachytherapy was significantly associated with lower voiding LUTS and less frequent acute urinary retention (p < 0.05). Median oncologic follow-up was 83 months (13–123 months) in the HIFU cohort and 44 months (13–89 months) in the brachytherapy cohort. Median time to achieve PSA nadir was statistically shorter in the HIFU. Biochemical recurrence-free survival rate was significantly higher in the brachytherapy cohort compared to HIFU cohort (68.5% versus 53%, p < 0.05). No statistically significant difference in metastasis-free, cancer specific, and overall survivals was observed between the two groups. Conclusion. HIFU and brachytherapy are safe with no significant difference in cancer specific survival on long term oncologic follow-up. Nonetheless, a randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm these results.

Management of Anastomosis Leakage Post-RALP: A Simple Trick for a Complex Situation

A case of 74 years old male patient who underwent RALP with bladder neck reconstruction. Persistent vesicourethral anastomotic leak was seen at cystography. A self-made side fenestrated Foley catheter was used and on the day after, a complete reversal in fluid output between the Foley catheter and the drain was seen.

A Hard Ball for a Tennis Player: A Rare Case of Large Calcifying Sertoli Cell Testicular Tumor

A 46 year old tennis player was addressed to our clinic after incidental finding of right testicular calcification on plain x-ray of the spine. Urologic consultation revealed a hard non-tender testicular mass which required inguinal orchiectomy. Final histology revealed large cell calcifying Sertoli cell tumor: we herein present the case and review current physiopathology of such rare testicular disease.