Taro Shibayama

Disappearance of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the base of the tongue after systemic administration of interferon-alpha

We describe a 41-year-old Japanese man with metastases of the lung, bone, lymph nodes and the base of the tongue 34 months after right radical nephrectomy. One month after systemic administration of human lymphoblastoid interferon (IFN), the metastasis to the base of the tongue completely disappeared, while other metastases increased both in size and number. Though the true effect of IFN-alpha on the metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the base of the tongue is still unknown, our case indicates that the tongue is a possible sensitive site to IFN-alpha therapy.

Dual-Parameter Immunoflow Cytometry in Diagnosis and Follow-Up of Patients with Bladder Cancer

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of a dual-parameter immunoflow cytometry (DPI-FCM) assay in the detection of tumor cells in barbotage specimens of bladder cancer patients. Methods: DPI-FCM is an automated method, based on the utilization of two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) either used for a preselection of urothelial cells (mAb Due AUT 2) or the analysis of the expression of a differentiation antigen within the preselected urothelial cells (mAb Due ABC 3). The ratio of ABC 3-positive urothelial cells was used to discriminate between the normal and malignant state of the urothelium. At the time of examination 40 patients had endoscopically overt bladder tumors. Another 30 patients without endoscopically visible tumors were examined before routine rebiopsy. Thirty barbotage specimens from patients with diseases not related to bladder cancer were examined as controls. Results: Overall, the sensitivity of DPI-FCM in patients with endoscopically overt and invisible residual tumors was 95 and 83%, respectively, regardless of concomitant urinary tract infection. The sensitivity of DPI-FCM for both patient groups was 86, 95 and 94% for tumor grades 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The specificity of the method in 30 patients with no history of bladder cancer was 93%. Conclusions: DPI-FCM appears to be a highly reliable method of recognizing tumor cells in bladder barbotage specimens even in patients with concomitant urinary tract infection. The procedure may be of value in monitoring bladder cancer patients for tumor recurrence.

SCID Mice: A Suitable Model for Experimental Studies of Urologic Malignancies

In vivo studies on human malignant tumors are limited because of a lack of suitable animal models. In this study, the usefulness of SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency) mice, deficient in functions of both T- and B-lymphocytes, was evaluated. Inbred SCID mice were kept in isolated cages and 2 x 10(7) cells of KU-7, an established bladder carcinoma cell line, were inoculated in the subcutaneous tissue of the flank region of six SCID mice. Athymic nude mice were inoculated by the same method and served as the controls. The KU-7 cells were taken within 14 days in the injected region in all six SCID mice, while in only five out of eight nude mice. Tumors subsequently formed at the site of inoculation in these mice were confirmed to be transitional cell carcinomas histologically and intra-abdominal metastases were noted in two SCID mice. We conclude that SCID mice provide an ideal in vivo model for experimental studies of human urologic malignant tumors.

[Long-term results of M-VAC for the treatment of advanced urothelial cancer].

Total of 37 patients with measurable lesions originating in advanced urothelial cancers received M-VAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin) combination chemotherapy and have been followed for a minimum of 12 months. The study included initial diagnoses of 24 bladder cancers and 13 upper urinary tract cancers in patients whose mean age was 62 years. The patients received a mean of three cycles of M-VAC. Clinical complete remission was observed in five of the 37 patients (13.5%) and partial remission was achieved in 10 patients (27.0%) after mean treatment of 2.4 and 2.1 cycles, respectively, for an over-all objective response rate of 40.5%. The mean duration of response was 11.6 +/- 7.1 months and 4.4 +/- 3.5 months for complete and partial remissions, respectively. A mean of 5.2 +/- 1.7 cycles of M-VAC was given for complete remissions and 3.5 +/- 1.4 cycles in partial remissions. An over-all survival rates after one and two years were 28.125% and 5.859%, respectively. Two of the five patients who had once marked complete remissions died after a mean survival time of 14.5 +/- 4.5 months and three survived with a mean duration of 20.3 +/- 5.4 months. Meanwhile, all of the patients who had achieved partial remissions died after a mean survival of 9.1 +/- 5.4 months except for one patient who survived more than 12 months. These results indicate that M-VAC combination chemotherapy for advanced urothelial cancer is extremely efficacious in initial responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)