William W. Bonney

Cryosurgery in prostatic cancer: Survival

From 1969 through 1976 we performed cryosurgery in 229 cases of prostatic cancer. This article presents survival in cryosurgery and other treatment groups. In every stage, despite a preponderance of large primary tumors and poor-risk patients, cryosurgery matched total prostatectomy and compared favorably to other modalities, including radiation therapy, at our center and elsewhere. According to previous authors, and in view of the present data, eradication of the local lesion is associated with better survival even in advanced cases. Cryosurgery provides a safe, effective method.

A comparison of cisplatin and the combination of cisplatin and cyclophosphamide in advanced urothelial cancer. A national bladder cancer collaborative group a study

A prospective multi‐institutional randomized trial compared the use of cisplatin (DDP) alone to the combination of DDP and cyclophosphamide in patients with advanced urothelial cancer. Patients were stratified according to measurable or evaluable tumor and performance status. The dose of DDP was 70 mg/m2 and the initial dose of cyclophosphamide was 750 mg/m2. There were ten objective responders (20%), including five complete responders, among the 50 evaluable patients who received DDP alone, and seven responders (11.9%), three complete, among the 59 receiving the combination therapy. Approximately one third of the patients in each treatment arm were stable at the nine‐week evaluation. There was no statistical significance between the response rates in the two treatment arms.

Biopsy and Clinical Course After Cryosurgery for Prostatic Cancer

Open perineal cryosurgical prostatectomy has been reported previously in 154 consecutive prostatic cancer patients at our center. In 37 of these patients post-cryosurgery biopsies of the prostate were obtained. In the present report we compare this tissue to the preoperative biopsies. The data suggest that well differentiated cancers are associated with advantageous survival in cryosurgery patients. Lymphoid and eosinophilic cell infiltrates may represent post-cryosurgical local immune responses, with improved survival. Estrogen therapy seems to suppress this local immune response. One month or more after cryosurgery cancer in the biopsy correlates with palpable local recurrence but prior to 1 month it does not correlate. Cryosurgery by the open perineal approach has been an effective method to eliminate the primary lesion in localized and extensive prostatic cancer.

Cryosurgery in prostatic cancer: Elimination of local lesion

From 1969 through 1976, we performed cryosurgery in 229 cases of prostatic cancer. Most of these patients had bulky, locally extensive primary tumors, and one-half had disseminated disease. Through the open perineal approach, which gives exposure for an adequate freeze, cryosurgery has been well tolerated. The primary surgical goal has been to reduce or eliminate the local lesion to minimize subsequent cancer-related lower urinary tract problems and to cure those patients with truly localized disease. In every case cryosurgery produced dramatic shrinkage of the local lesion. After four to eight weeks a local recurrence was suspected in 13 per cent, and 41 per cent eventually had some evidence of a recurrent cancer nodule or persistent cancer in the bladder neck. In a series of statistical analyses we have related these recurrences to other clinical factors. Cryosurgery has been a safe, effective way to reduce or eliminate the primary prostatic cancer, even in patients with large local lesions.

Bladder dysfunction in schizophrenia

In schizophrenic patients with incontinence our previous urodynamic studies showed detrusor hyperreflexia in some cases. Many schizophrenic patients have brain abnormalities similar to those associated with urge incontinence and detrusor hyperreflexia in neurological patients. We therefore propose bladder dysfunction and incontinence as previously unrecognized neurobiological correlates of schizophrenia. To clarify this concept our first step, the present study, was a patient survey for urinary problems. Incontinence was more prevalent in schizophrenic patients than in a comparison group of mood disorder patients at the same hospitals. Urge incontinence and leakage of any type were related closely to psychiatric diagnosis. These data, like our pilot urodynamic studies, suggest that incontinence represents detrusor hyperreflexia in a significant subset of schizophrenic patients. Prospective urodynamic studies will be needed to test our proposal directly.

Cryosurgery for carcinoma of prostate

Abstract One hundred fifty-four patients with histologically proved prostatic cancer have been treated by cryosurgery via the open perineal route. This approach provides excellent access to the primary lesion, is well tolerated by the patients, and is not followed by a significant incidence of urinary incontinence. Radiologic evidence of metastatic regression was observed in 1 patient, aged seventy-nine, with Stage D disease. Subjective relief of bone pain occurred in 75 per cent of those at risk in whom a hormonal cause for pain relief can be excluded. Although the frequency of objective metastatic regression has been low, perineal cryosurgery has proved effective in the destruction of the local lesion. Two-year patient survival was significantly less in those having previous hormonal therapy.

Computed Tomography of the Pelvis

The computed tomography scan has revealed the location and size of abnormal pelvic masses as an adjunct to other diagnostic studies. We have extended its usefulness by air distension of the bladder, which accommodates to adjacent structures and, therby, highlights abnormalities in its own wall and in other organs. The patients are prepared according to a simple routine. As we attempt further economy and efficiency the cost of each study becomes justified by the information gained.

Absorbable staples in continentileal urinary pouch

Continent ileal urinary reservoirs were created in dogs to study absorbable surgical staples. Within each pouch, certain controlled observations were possible. The staples and chemically similar polyglactin absorbable sutures caused almost identical tissue reactions. The staples outlasted the sutures, probably because of greater size. Inverted and everted staple closures worked equally well. It appears feasible to consider clinical urinary diversion with absorbable staples, a time-saving method.

Topical effect of intravesical oxybutynin.

Intravesical oxybutynin was instilled into rat bladders in graded doses by repeated catheterization to study the local bladder effects of drug concentration and incidental urinary infection. On the thirteenth day, after 5 doses, bladders were recovered for measurement and histological study. In the highest dose group, systemic absorption from the bladder caused weight loss and cachexia. However, in no group was there any clear evidence of drug-related mucosal or bladder wall change. Instead, the two high dose groups seemed somehow protected from the combined adverse effects of catheterization and infection.

Yield of cancer tissue from prostatic needle biopsy

This study concerns the quality of human prostatic cancer needle biopsy specimens for routine diagnosis and for bioassay. We examined routine hematoxylin and eosin-stained microscopic sections from 20 prostatic cancer patients, 159 needle cores in all, 71 positive for tumor. Linear core measurements were made with a calibrated ocular micrometer, each segment counted positive if it contained any tumor. Among all subjects there were 35.5 cm of tumor-bearing core length, 26 per cent of the total core length but 60 per cent of the length if completely negative cores were excluded. From these data we calculate a 91 per cent probability of detecting any cancer present if at least 4 cores are taken.