Tohru Akiya

Superoxide dismutase activity in renal cell carcinoma.

Both Cu-Zn- and Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were determined in renal cell carcinoma and tumor-uninvolved renal tissues in 25 patients with renal cancer. These enzymatic activities were similar in tumor and tumor-uninvolved renal tissues. The age of the patients, grade or stage of tumors had no apparent effect on SOD activities. Renal arterial embolization caused a slight decrease (p less than 0.05) in Cu-Zn-SOD activity in tumor tissues, but none in other enzymes in the same tissues, while renal arterial embolization reduced each SOD activity in tumor-uninvolved renal tissues (p less than 0.01 - p less than 0.001). Therefore the development of renal cell carcinoma is probably not related to the abnormality of renal SOD, but renal ischemic changes appear to lower each SOD activity in normal renal tissues.

Intravesical Instillation of Doxorubicin Hydrochloride and its Incorporation into Bladder Tumors

We studied single dose intravesical doxorubicin instillation (50 mg. dissolved in 30 ml. saline) in 29 patients with bladder tumor and 2 with dysplasia of the bladder. The results demonstrated that 1) the levels of doxorubicin hydrochloride in extracts of tumors were significantly higher than those of histologically normal bladder tissues in all regions examined except the dome, 2) the incorporation concentration of the drug into the smallest tumor was 3-fold greater than that of larger tumors, 3) tissue concentration of the drug in histologically normal bladder tissues was 2.4-fold greater in patients with recurrent than with primary bladder tumors, and 4) a high concentration of the agent was noted in unifocal, multifocal and primary tumors classified as papillary noninvasive or invasive transitional cell carcinoma. These findings indicate that intravesical installation of doxorubicin hydrochloride can be incorporated to a high degree by relatively small papillary noninvasive or invasive transitional cell carcinoma located in almost all regions except the bladder dome.

Retroperitoneal Myxoid Variant of Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma: Report of A Case

A case of a retroperitoneal myxoid variant of malignant fibrous histiocytoma is reported. The chief complaints were remittent fever and a painful mass on the right flank, which were misdiagnosed as acute inflammatory disease.

Use of indwelling double-curved ureteral stents and problems after stenting

Indwelling double-curved ureteral stents were placed in 19 patients for 28 months. We used these stents to bypass ureteral obstruction and as adjunct surgery of upper urinary tract troubles. There were 5 cases with stent problems such as stone formation and spontaneous breakage. The duration of stenting with problems was longer than that without problems with statistical significance.

Clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the female urethra.

A case of clear-cell adenocarcinoma arising in the female urethra is described. The literature is reviewed briefly.