Tomasz Gołąbek

Prostate cancer with different ERG status may show different FOXP3-positive cell numbers

Prostatic carcinoma is the most frequent cancer in males in the Western world. A significant proportion of these cancers have a recurrent translocation involving ETS family genes, which leads to the overexpression of ERG transcription factor. Prostate cancers, which bear this mutation, differ in a number of features, including tumor microenvironment. One of the components of the tumor microenvironment is FOXP3 positive lymphocytes, which may participate in breaking immunosurveillance and promoting tumor growth. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationships between ERG expression, number of FOXP3 positive cells and other features of the tumor. The study group consisted of 65 cases. Tissue microarrays composed of 2 mm tissue cores were used for immunohistological evaluation. Immunohistochemistry for ERG and FOXP3 was performed according to the routinely applied protocol. The FOXP3 positive cells were counted and the results were expressed as the number of cells per mm2. The average number of FOXP3 positive cells was 33.30/mm2 for all cases, 21.43/mm2 for the ERG negative and 42.28/mm2 for the ERG positive group (p < 0.02). There were no significant relationships between FOXP3 positive cell count and any other parameters studied. Our results suggest that the immune response may differ between ERG negative and ERG positive prostatic carcinomas.

Clinical value of extended pelvic lymph node dissection in patients subjected to radical prostatectomy.

Introduction Extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) is advised to complement radical prostatectomy (RP) in intermediate and high risk prostate cancer patients. Aim To assess the risk of nodal involvement in patients subjected to laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and to characterize the group of patients with lymph node (LN) metastases. Material and methods Data of patients subjected to laparoscopic radical prostatectomy with ePLND between February 2011 and June 2013 were analyzed. The LN that were removed included presacral nodes, common, external and internal iliac nodes and obturator ones. Results Mean number of removed LNs was 19. Metastases within LN were found in 13 (16.6%) patients. In comparison to those without LN involvement, patients who were found to have LN metastases had a greater number of positive biopsy cores (3.7 vs. 5.3, p < 0.01), maximum percentage of cancer in biopsy core (47.0 vs. 67.6, p < 0.01), greater biopsy and specimen Gleason scores (7.0 vs. 7.7 and 7.0 vs. 7.8) and more frequently advanced clinical and pathological stage. The most frequent landing sites of prostate cancer were obturator and presacral nodes (100% and 38%). Eleven patients (85%) among those with positive LN had locally advanced disease. Conclusions The risk of LN metastases in intermediate and high risk prostate cancer patients is significant. Therefore, if radical prostatectomy is chosen, ePLND should be performed. The majority of patients with involvement of pelvic LN have locally advanced disease which would refer them to adjuvant radiation if managed without nodal dissection.

Mast cells influence neoangiogenesis in prostatic cancer independently of ERG status

A significant proportion of prostatic adenocarcinomas show recurrent translocation leading to ERG expression. Previously we found that ERG+ cases have higher microvessel density than negative ones. One factor influencing angiogenesis in cancer is mast cells. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between microvessels, mast cells and ERG status. Tissue microarrays prepared from 113 radical prostatectomy specimens were analyzed with immunohistochemistry for CD31, tryptase and chymase. Vascular profiles and tryptase-positive and chymase-positive cells were counted. The average number of tryptase-positive cells was 28.93/mm2 and chymase-positive cells 9.91/mm2. The average number of CD31+ vascular profiles was 352.66/mm2. The average number of tryptase-positive cells was 26.35/mm2 for ERG- cases and 32.12/mm2 for ERG+ cases. The average number of chymase-positive cells was 8.14/mm2 for ERG- cases and 12.06/mm2 for ERG+ cases. The average number of CD31+ vascular profiles was 321.34/mm2 for ERG- cases and 390.74/mm2 for ERG+ cases. The number of CD31+ vascular profiles was positively correlated with the number of tryptase-positive and chymase-positive cells (R = 0.26 and R = 0.20). In summary, we demonstrated an interrelationship between mast cells, microvascular density and ERG status in prostatic carcinoma.

How to manage testicular capillary haemangioma: Editorial Comment on: W. Białek, S. Rudzki, L. Wroniecki: Capillary hemangioma of the testis. A case report of a rare benign tumor

Testicular tumors are predominantly malignant (95% cases), as opposed to lesions originating from the peritesticular tissue. Unfortunately, preoperative discrimination between benign and malignant tumors is not always straightforward. Moreover, some of the tumors may be extremely complex in terms of the diagnosis and treatment(1). Radical orchidectomy remains the treatment of choice in the case of malignancy, whereas benign testicular tumors should be managed less aggressively: a testis-sparing approach appears to be appropriate from both oncological and functional point of view. The vast majority of small testicular tumors are benign (75%–86% of cases <16 mm in their largest diameter). Similarly, larger lesions (up to 30 mm) also tend to be predominantly benign in as many as 65% of all such cases(2). However, only 10% of all palpable tumors are reported as benign(3). Of note is the fact that these data have been retrospectively collected from men who underwent testis-sparing surgery, hence heavily biased due to the study design. In addition, there are no prospective head-to-head studies comparing testis-sparing surgery and radical orchidectomy in small asymptomatic incidental testicular tumors. Hemangiomas of the testis are an excellent example of rare tumors which can pose a significant diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. There have been merely 55 similar cases reported since 1946. Their exact etiology, as well as the precipitating risk factors remain largely unknown. Prior irradiation and chemotherapy have been reported as potentially causative in few cases only. Testicular hemangiomas, similarly to their malignant counterparts, may be completely asymptomatic, or present as either indolent or rapidly growing lesions. They are homogenously hypoechoic and hypervascular on ultrasound. However, occasionally they may have a heterogeneous ultrasound appearance(4–6). MRI is not always useful in differentiating between benign and malignant testicular tumors. Nor are tumor markers, which can be normal in some germinal tumors(4, 7, 8). In the majority of reported cases, hemangiomas of the testis have been limited to the organ with only very few invading the tunica albuginea. Additionally, some microscopic features of the capillary, epithelioid and anastomosing hemangiomas may suggest a malignant potential, hence, be misleading and result in unnecessary orchidectomy. Nevertheless, histological examination with immunohistochemical tumor marker staining helps make the correct ultimate diagnosis. In those cases tumor enucleation with testis-sparing approach is appropriate. However, if the exact tumor character is debatable and cannot be determined, it is safer to opt for radical orchidectomy than leave a scrotal scar and a testis containing a malignant neoplasm.

Regenerative medicine- techniques and methods of administering autologous derived stem cells in urinary incontinence.

The aim of the work is to present regenerative medicine achievement as an alternative SUI treatment and the variety of injected cells type as well as injection techniques itself with the analysis of their quality and possible the mechanism in which they reduce urinary incontinence symptoms. For over a decade numerous authors declare use of different type of autologous mesenchymal-derived stem cells (AMDC) in male and female SUI. The leakage improvement reached 80%, despite the number of injected cells as well as the injection technique. Important subject in the AMDC treatment is the precise cell material injection into the selected spot which might be possible with the use of the endoscopic assisting robot. The robotic supported system for cells procedure might bring the missing percentage in reaching the goal in SUI treatment.

Sonography of tumors and tumor-like lesions that mimic carcinoma of the urinary bladder

One of the basic abdominal organs that is assessed during transabdominal ultrasound examination for urological reasons is the urinary bladder. The bladder must be filled with urine. This is a prerequisite for a reliable assessment and, at the same time, an acoustic window in examining adjacent structures and organs, for instance the prostate gland. In some cases, doubts occur with respect to the nature of lesions detected. The paper presents anatomic lesions, defects and pathologies which might be erroneously interpreted as tumors of the urinary bladder, i.e. transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. The following lesions are discussed: 1) anatomic defects (including urachus remnants, ligaments that stabilize the bladder or cyst in the opening of the ureter into the bladder – ureterocele); 2) tumor- like lesions in the lumen of the urinary bladder (such as blood clots, fungus balls, stones or foreign bodies); 3) bladder wall pathologies (i.e. cystitis or endometriosis), focal decidual transformation of stromal cells or inflammatory pseudotumor; 4) lesions impressing on the bladder from the outside (the mesentery of the sigmoid colon, the bowel, pathological lesions in organs adjacent to the urinary bladder, inflammatory infiltration, vasogenic compression of the bladder, pelvic lipomatosis, pathological lesions of the pubic symphysis); 5) postoperative lesions. All these lesions may mimic carcinoma of the urinary bladder in sonography. Bearing this fact in mind is significant in establishing a diagnosis. Due to the malignant character of carcinoma of the urinary bladder and the need for aggressive surgical treatment, a correct diagnosis of this disease is essential for patients, particularly because the lack of adequate treatment and delayed treatment considerably affect prognosis.

Novel trends in transrectal ultrasound imaging of prostate gland carcinoma

Carcinoma of the prostate gland is the most common neoplasm in men. Its treatment depends on multiple factors among which local staging plays a significant role. The basic method is transrectal ultrasound imaging. This examination enables imaging of the prostate gland and its abnormalities, but it also allows ultrasound-guided biopsies to be conducted. A conventional gray-scale ultrasound examination enables assessment of the size, echostructure and outlines of the anatomic capsule, but in many cases, neoplastic lesions cannot be observed. For this reason, new sonographic techniques are implemented in order to facilitate detectability of cancer. The usage of contrast agents during transrectal ultrasound examination must be emphasized since, in combination with color Doppler, it facilitates detection of cancerous lesions by visualizing flow which is not observable without contrast enhancement. Elastography, in turn, is a different solution. It uses the differences in tissue elasticity between a neoplastic region and normal prostatic parenchyma that surrounds it. This technique facilitates detection of lesions irrespective of their echogenicity and thereby supplements conventional transrectal examinations. However, the size of the prostate gland and its relatively far location from the transducer may constitute limitations to the effectiveness of elastography. Moreover, the manner of conducting such an examination depends on the examiner and his or her subjective assessment. Another method, which falls within the novel, popular trend of combining imaging methods, is fusion of magnetic resonance imaging and transrectal sonography. The application of multidimensional magnetic resonance imaging, which is currently believed to be the best method for prostate cancer staging, in combination with the availability of a TRUS examination and the possibility of monitoring biopsies in real-time sonography is a promising alternative, but it is associated with higher costs and longer duration of the examination. This paper presents the most important novel trends in transrectal imaging in prostate cancer diagnosis based on the review of the articles available in the PubMed base and published after 2010.