Factors affecting biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy in patients with positive and negative surgical margin

Purpose

To investigate the clinical and pathological predictive factors affecting biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with positive and negative surgical margin (SM).

Methods

Patients who underwent RP were retrospectively reviewed for the study. Demographic, clinical, pathological and oncological data were evaluated. All data were compared between patients with positive SM and negative SM to detect factors associated with SM status. Later, patients were divided into two groups as BCR-negative and BCR-positive groups. Data were separately compared between BCR groups for all patients, SM-negative and SM-positive patients, respectively.

Results

A total of 254 patients with a mean age of 63.5 years and the mean prostate-specific antigen of 10.9 ng/ml were evaluated in the study. SM positivity was found to be an independent prognostic factor for BCR (p = 0.013, Odds Ratio (OR): 0.267, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.094-0.755). In SM-positive patients, biopsy Gleason Score and International Society of Urological Pathology grade were found to be independent predictive factors for BCR (p < 0.05). However, only tumor to SM distance (TSMD) was found to be an independent risk factor for BCR (p = 0.024) in SM-negative patients. The predictive cutoff value of the TSMD was found to be 75 μm for BCR (100% sensitivity and 63.9% specificity) (AUC = 0.803, p = 0.024). Although all of 46 patients with >75 μm TSMD were recurrence free, 5 of 31 patients with <75 μm TSMD had BCR (p = 0.009; OR: 0.839 CI: 0.719-0.979).

Conclusion

High Gleason Score and International Society of Urological Pathology grade of biopsy were found to be associated with BCR in SM-positive patients. For SM-negative patients, only TSMD was found to be associated with BCR after RP.

Influence of preoperative hydronephrosis and ureteral orifice involvement in the survival of patients undergoing radical cystectomy: A retrospective comparative study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of preoperative hydronephrosis and ureteral orifice involvement (UOI) on survival of patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) for bladder cancer (BC).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 162 patients with BC underwent RC between January 2006 and March 2017. Patients were divided into two groups for both presences of preoperative hydronephrosis and orifice involvement at final pathology. Additionally, tumors with orifice involvement were subgrouped histopathologically after RC as those with only UOI and those with invasive to the ureter with an additional concurrent site at final pathology.

RESULTS

Preoperative hydronephrosis was detected in 57 patients. Preoperative and postoperative creatinine on month 3 were higher in the preoperative hydronephrosis (+) group (p<0.001). In addition, postoperative T stage, surgical margin positivity, invasion of urethra, and pathological upstaging were higher in this group. Cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were better in the hydronephrosis (-) group than in the hydronephrosis (+) group (p=0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). Preoperative hydronephrosis was found to be an independent factor in pathological upstaging. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of UOI. Group 1 consisted of patients without UOI, and group 2 with UOI. Preoperative hydronephrosis, hydronephrosis grade, and T stage were statistically higher in tumors with UOI. Moreover, CSS and OS were lower in group 2 than in group 1.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative hydronephrosis and UOI are predicting factors on survival of patients undergoing RC for BC. Preoperative hydronephrosis was found to be an independent factor in pathological upstaging.

Predictive value of preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on the prognosis of germ cell testicular tumors

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the prognostic value of preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on germ cell testicular tumors (GCT).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The data of 53 patients who underwent inguinal orchiectomy were analyzed retrospectively. NLR was calculated from the preoperative complete blood cell counts. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to find the threshold values for NLR. Correlations between cancer-specific survival (CSS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and NLR were evaluated.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up time was 23.55±18.06 months. The mean level of NLR was 3.08±1.81. Optimal threshold values of NLR was calculated as 3.55 for PFS (area under curve, AUC: 0.55) and 3.0 for CSS (AUC: 0.66). For patients with a NLR of <3.55 and NLR of ≥3.55, mean times-to-progression were 55.71 months (95% CI, 51.27-60.14) and 51.95 months (95% CI, 38.02-65.87, p=0.152), respectively. As well as, for patients with a NLR of <3.0 and NLR of ≥3.0, mean times-to-cancer specific death were 54.72 months (95% CI, 49.05-60.38) and 49.43 months (95% CI, 37.64-61.22, p=0.119), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative NLR is not a useful tool to predict the prognosis of patients with GCT.

Use of a microdebrider for corporeal excavation and penile prosthesis implantation in men with severely fibrosed corpora cavernosa: a new minimal invasive surgical technique

OBJECTIVE

To propose a new minimal invasive surgical technique using a microdebrider (shaver) to excavate the fibrosed corpora cavernosa for penile prosthesis implantation in patients with severe fibrosis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Two patients with severe corporeal fibrosis were implanted with a penile prosthesis using this technique. In the first patient, fibrosis was due to neglected idiopathic ischemic priapism and the second patient had his prosthesis extruded because of erosion in another center. Both patients were counseled about the procedure and the possible complications related to the experimental nature of the technique. A written informed consent was obtained from both patients. Excavation of the corpora was performed using microdebrider in both patients.

RESULTS

Both operations were performed successfully without any intraoperative complications, including urethral injury or perforation of the tunica. The mean operation time was 57 min. The postoperative period was uneventful without any infection, migration, erosion, or mechanical failure. The penile length was increased nearly 2 cm in both patients, and the penile girth was increased around 30% in the patient who underwent inflatable penile prosthesis implantation.

CONCLUSION

The microdebrider potentially provides an important advance in patients with severe corporeal fibrosis to excavate the fibrosed corpora cavernosa for penile prosthesis implantation. The main advantages include fast, safe, and effective excavation of fibrous corpora cavernosa adequate for a satisfactory penile prosthesis implantation.

Comparison of uni-and bilateral buccal mucosa harvesting in terms of oral morbidity

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the intraoral morbidity associated with uni- or bilateral buccal mucosa graft harvesting in the treatment of urethral stricture.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Forty-two men with anterior urethral stricture who were treated with dorsal onlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty were enrolled in this study. The graft was harvested from both cheeks in patients with a stricture length of ≥7 cm and from one cheek, if the stricture length was <7 cm. The postoperative pain scores, the time required both to return to a regular diet, and also to achieve full mouth opening, intrtaoral numbness and the salivary changes were compared between two groups.

RESULTS

The bilateral buccal mucosal graft harvest group was disadvantaged in terms of the 7(th) day pain score, the time required both to return to a regular diet also to achieve full mouth opening (p<0.05). No significant intergroup differences were found in the terms of salivary changes and intraoral numbness.

CONCLUSION

Although, intraoral morbidity of bilateral buccal mucosa graft harvesting is more marked than that of the unilateral harvesting, in the short term, it is well tolerated by the patients in the long term.