Osservational Study on Early Diagnosis of Prostate Carcinoma in Sicily and Calabria

The diagnosis of prostate carcinoma has been monitored in Sicily and Calabria for one year.

Material e Methods

Twenty-seven urological centres of Sicily and Calabria joined the study. Detailed informations about age, familiarity, PSA, Gleason score and TNM stage at diagnosis were centralized between november 2001 and november 2002.

Results

721 patients have been recruited. The median age was 73 years. More than 80% of the patients were older than 65 years. Median PSA was 14 ng/ml. The clinical stage at diagnosis was T1c in 33% of patients and 67% had an organ confined prostate cancer (T1-T2). Familiarity was detected in 8% of cases. Age and PSA at diagnosis in these patients were similar to those of the remaining population. However, only 18% of them had a T1 tumor, emphasizing the delay in diagnosis in these patients. Although only 10% of the patients shows at diagnosis a metastatic tumor, 29% only are fit for radical prostatectomy in according to age, PSA and stage.

Urodynamics in urinary incontinence

This study outlines the main urethral-bladder disorders responsible, on a neurological basis, for incontinence. It also defines the forms of detrusorial and urethral origin, due to hyper- or hypoactivity of the detrusor and urethra respectively. Brief reference is made to clinical aspects.

The quality of life after cystectomy

In this study the authors have tried to identify some useful parameters for assessing the quality of life after cystectomy: continence, sexual activity, electrolytic and acid-base balance alterations. Factors which could improve the quality of life after cystectomy include improving surgical techniques and the correct practice of informed consent, when the doctor should give as much information as possible on the therapeutic options, specifying the pros and cons and possible complications, while paying particular attention to the psychological aspects.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, TUR and radiotherapy in T2-T4 NO MO bladder carcinoma

– Forty patients affected by locally advanced carcinoma of the bladder were submitted to up-front chemotherapy followed by TUR and radiotherapy. A complete response was obtained in 27 patients (67.5%). A residual mass was present in 13 (32.5%) patients. At a mean follow-up of 38 months (range: 18–112 months), 7 patients showed a recurrence that was superficial in 3 cases and infiltrating the muscular layer in 4. Fifteen patients (37.5%), 12 of whom disease-free, are alive with a mean survival of 65 months. Five more patients died of non-related disease.