Wassim M. Bazzi

Clinical Outcomes of Local and Metastatic Testicular Sex Cord-Stromal Tumors

PURPOSE We evaluated pathological variables of testicular sex cord-stromal tumors, management options and clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the records of 48 patients with testicular sex cord-stromal tumors treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center between 1997 and 2012. Clinical outcomes were compared based on treatment and previously described pathological factors associated with metastatic potential. RESULTS Of the 48 patients 37 underwent surveillance without retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, including 34 with no high risk feature and 3 with 1. Median followup was 14.5 months (IQR 6.9-32.5). No patient experienced recurrence. Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection was performed in 11 patients, including 6 with clinical stage I disease and 2 or more high risk features who underwent early dissection, 2 with clinical stage IIa disease at diagnosis who underwent early dissection and 3 with clinical stage I disease and 2 or more high risk features who were observed elsewhere but referred to our institution due to retroperitoneal disease. Six patients with clinical stage I disease underwent early dissection, 4 had no evidence of disease at a median followup of 6.6 years and 2 experienced recurrence and died of disease. Neither of the 2 patients with IIa disease at diagnosis experienced relapse. All 3 patients with delayed dissection experienced relapse and 1 died of disease. CONCLUSIONS Patients with testicular sex cord-stromal tumors and 1 or no high risk feature can be safely observed without retroperitoneal lymph node dissection but longer followup is needed. Given the lack of effective alternative treatments, early retroperitoneal lymph node dissection may be beneficial in those with 2 or more high risk features, or clinical stage IIa disease.

Association between visceral and subcutaneous adiposity and clinicopathological outcomes in non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma

INTRODUCTION Visceral adiposity has been inconsistently associated with clinicopathologic features and outcomes of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC); however, most studies were conducted in non-Western populations. We evaluated the associations between visceral and subcutaneous adiposity and clinicopathological characteristics of non-metastatic ccRCC patients in a Western population. METHODS The medical records of 220 surgically treated ccRCC patients with documented preoperative body mass index (BMI) and computed tomography (CT) scans were retrospectively reviewed. Nineteen patients with stage IV disease were excluded. Visceral (VFA) and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) were computed from pre-operative CT scans. Correlations between obesity measures were assessed with Pearson correlation. Associations between obesity measures and pathologic features were evaluated using logistic regression models adjusted for sex. Overall survival (OS) probabilities were estimated using Cox regression analysis. The log-rank test was used for group comparisons. RESULTS The study cohort comprised 150 men and 51 women. Women had higher SFA (p = 0.01) but lower VFA (p < 0.001) than men. BMI was highly correlated with SFA (r = 0.804) and moderately correlated with VFA (r = 0.542). SFA and VFA were weakly correlated (r = 0.367). An increased BMI was associated with a better OS (p = 0.028). When adjusting for sex, neither SFA nor VFA was significantly associated with tumour grade, stage, or OS. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with prior reports, our study suggests that increased BMI is associated with a better OS for patient with nonmetastatic ccRCC. Despite the high correlation between SFA and BMI, neither SFA nor VFA were significantly associated with tumour stage, grade, or OS in the current study; however, further studies in larger cohorts are required to validate this finding.

Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Small Renal Masses

Introduction. To evaluate the association between preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and clinicopathologic characteristics in patients with small renal masses (SRM). Methods. Retrospective chart reviews of patients with renal masses ≤4 cm who underwent nephrectomy from January 2007 to July 2012 were conducted. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the association between preoperative NLR and clinicopathologic variables. Results. In 1001 patients, we noted higher mean preoperative NLR in men (3.0 ± 1.4 versus 2.6 ± 1.3 in women, P < 0.01) and Caucasians (2.9 ± 1.4 versus 1.9 ± 0.9 in African Americans, P < 0.01) but no significant differences in patients with low (I-II) versus high (III-IV) American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores (2.8 ± 1.4 versus 2.9 ± 1.5, P = 0.18) or benign versus malignant pathology (2.9 ± 1.4 versus 2.8 ± 1.3, P = 0.75). Spearman correlation analysis (ρ) showed preoperative NLR significantly correlated with age (ρ = 0.15, P < 0.01) and preoperative serum creatinine (Crea) [ρ = 0.13, P < 0.01]. On multivariable linear regression analysis older age, male gender, Caucasian race, and preoperative Crea were predictive of higher preoperative NLR, but ASA score and tumor pathology were not. Conclusions. In patients with SRM, we found no association between preoperative NLR and tumor pathology.

Improving safety in robotic surgery: Intraoperative crisis checklist

TULLIKA GARG, MD, MPH, WASSIM M. BAZZI, MD, JONATHAN L. SILBERSTEIN, MD, NADEEM ABU-RUSTUM, MD, MARIO M. LEITAO JR, MD, AND VINCENT P. LAUDONE, MD* Urology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York Department of Urology, Tulane University Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana Gynecology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York

Clinicopathologic features of renomedullary interstitial cell tumor presenting as the main solid renal mass.

OBJECTIVE To review the clinical, pathologic, and radiographic features of renomedullary interstitial cell tumor (RMICT). This is a rare benign renal tumor formerly known as medullary fibroma and is indistinguishable from other renal cortical tumors by imaging. METHODS After institutional review board approval, we reviewed data on patients from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center kidney tumor database from 1989 to 2012 (4898 patients) with a pathologic diagnosis of RMICT or medullary fibroma as the main resected tumor. Data collected included procedure, age, gender, presentation, preoperative tumor characteristics (size, location, nearness to collecting system, and RENAL nephrometry score), and final pathologic size. RESULTS Ten patients (0.2%) with RMICT were identified. All patients had undergone partial nephrectomy for 10 tumors (9 right). Clinical presentation was incidental to abdominal imaging performed for another clinical reason in 6 patients, as part of a hematuria evaluation in 2 patients, and as part of nephrolithiasis follow-up imaging in 2 patients. The mean patient age was 52 years (range, 39-73), and 8 patients were female. The mean preoperative and final pathologic tumor size was 1.65 cm (range, 1.0-2.5) and 0.96 cm (range, 0.3-1.7), respectively. The location of the tumors was medullary (0-9 mm from the collecting system) in 8 patients and cortical (2.5 cm mostly exophytic and 1.5 cm mostly endophytic tumor) in 2 patients. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate a female predominance, a mean tumor size of <2 cm, and medullary location consistent with its pathologic origin. To our knowledge, this is the largest single-institution series of RMICT.

Partial Cystectomy after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Contemporary Experience

Objective. To report our contemporary experience with partial cystectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients and Methods. Retrospective review of patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and partial cystectomy for urothelial cell carcinoma of the bladder at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center from 1995 to 2013. Log-rank test and Cox regression models were used to analyze variables possibly associated with recurrence-free, advanced recurrence-free (free from recurrence beyond salvage with intravesical therapy or radical cystectomy), and overall survival. Results. All 36 patients had a solitary tumor <5 cm in size. Twenty-one patients (58%) achieved cT0 following neoadjuvant chemotherapy with 7 (33%) having residual disease at PC. At last follow-up, 19 (53%) patients had recurrence, 15 (42%) had advanced recurrence, 10 (28%) died of disease, and 22 (61%) maintained an intact bladder. Median follow-up of those who were with no evidence of disease was 17 months. On univariable analysis, after neoadjuvant chemotherapy positive nodes on imaging and positive surgical margin at partial cystectomy were both associated with worse recurrence-free, advanced recurrence-free, and overall survival. Five-year recurrence-free, advanced recurrence-free, and overall survival were 28%, 51%, and 63%, respectively. Conclusion. Partial cystectomy following neoadjuvant chemotherapy provides acceptable oncologic outcomes in highly selected patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Malignant Mesothelioma of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis: Outcomes Following Surgical Management Beyond Radical Orchiectomy

OBJECTIVE To describe clinical management and outcomes of a cohort of patients with malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis (MMTVT) who received treatments beyond radical orchiectomy. METHODS Patients with confirmed MMTVT at a single tertiary care institution were identified. Treatments, pathologic outcomes, and survival were recorded. Prognostic variables associated with survival were analyzed with a Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS Overall, 15 patients were included. Initial presentation was a scrotal mass in 7 of 15 (47%) and hydrocele in 5 of 15 (33%) patients. Clinical staging revealed enlarged nodes in 5 of 15 (33%) patients. Radical orchiectomy was the initial treatment in 5 of 15 (33%) patients. Positive surgical margins were found in 6 of 14 (43%) radical orchiectomies and were associated with worse survival (P = .007). The most frequent histologic subtype was epithelioid, associated with better survival (P = .048). Additional surgeries were performed on 12 of 15 (80%) patients. Pathologic examination revealed MMTVT in 6 of 12 (50%) hemiscrotectomies, 7 of 8 (88%) retroperitoneal lymph node dissections, 1 of 7 (14%) pelvic lymph node dissections, and 10 of 10 (100%) groin dissections. Five patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. Two also received adjuvant radiation therapy. Three patients with lymph node involvement remain no evidence of disease over 6 years after diagnosis. After a median follow-up of 3.5 years (interquartile range: 1.2-7.2), 5 patients have died, all of MMTVT; the median overall survival has not been reached. Common sites of relapse were lungs (5 of 7) and groin (3 of 7). CONCLUSION The pattern of metastatic spread of MMTVT is predominantly lymphatic. Nodes in the retroperitoneum and the groin are commonly involved. Prognosis is poor, but there may be a role for aggressive surgical resection including hemiscrotectomy, and inguinal and retroperitoneal lymph nodes.