PURPOSE: To investigate predictors of progression to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) in patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 440 consecutive treatment-naive patients initially diagnosed with mPCa between August 2000 and June 2012. Patient age, body mass index (BMI), Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), PSA nadir, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, Visual Analogue Scale pain score, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score (ECOG PS), PSA response to hormone therapy, and metastatic sites were assessed. Cox-proportional hazards regression analyses were used to evaluate survivals and predictive variables of men with bone metastasis stratified according to the presence of pain, compared to men with visceral metastasis. RESULTS: Metastases were most often found in bone (75.4%), followed by lung (16.3%) and liver (8.3%) tissues. Bone metastasis, pain, and high BMI were associated with increased risks of progression to CRPC, and bone metastasis, pain, PSA nadir, and ECOG PS> or =1 were significant predictors of CSM. During the median follow-up of 32.0 (interquartile range 14.7-55.9) months, patients with bone metastasis with pain and patients with both bone and visceral metastases showed the worst median progression to CRPC-free and cancer-specific survivals, followed by men with bone metastasis without pain. Patients with visceral metastasis had the best median survivals. CONCLUSION: Metastatic spread and pain patterns confer different prognosis in patients with mPCa. Bone may serve as a crucial microenvironment in the development of CRPC and disease progression.
Aged ; Bone Neoplasms/secondary ; *Disease Progression ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pain/diagnosis/etiology/prevention & control ; Pain Measurement ; Prognosis ; Prostate-Specific Antigen/blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms/mortality/*pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/mortality/*pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate prognostic factors and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in a cohort of 41 patients with urachal carcinoma by use of a Bayesian model-averaging approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our cohort included 41 patients with urachal carcinoma who underwent extended partial cystectomy, total cystectomy, transurethral resection, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy at a single institute. All patients were classified by both the Sheldon and the Mayo staging systems according to histopathologic reports and preoperative radiologic findings. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional-hazards regression models were carried out to investigate prognostic factors, and a Bayesian model-averaging approach was performed to confirm the significance of each variable by using posterior probabilities. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 49.88+/-13.80 years and the male-to-female ratio was 24:17. The median follow-up was 5.42 years (interquartile range, 2.8-8.4 years). Five- and 10-year CSS rates were 55.9% and 43.4%, respectively. Lower Sheldon (p=0.004) and Mayo (p<0.001) stage, mucinous adenocarcinoma (p=0.005), and larger tumor size (p=0.023) were significant predictors of high survival probability on the basis of a log-rank test. By use of the Bayesian model-averaging approach, higher Mayo stage and larger tumor size were significant predictors of cancer-specific mortality in urachal carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: The Mayo staging system might be more effective than the Sheldon staging system. In addition, the multivariate analyses suggested that tumor size may be a prognostic factor for urachal carcinoma.
Adult ; Bayes Theorem ; Carcinoma/*pathology/*therapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/*pathology/*therapy

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate prognostic factors and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in a cohort of 41 patients with urachal carcinoma by use of a Bayesian model-averaging approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our cohort included 41 patients with urachal carcinoma who underwent extended partial cystectomy, total cystectomy, transurethral resection, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy at a single institute. All patients were classified by both the Sheldon and the Mayo staging systems according to histopathologic reports and preoperative radiologic findings. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional-hazards regression models were carried out to investigate prognostic factors, and a Bayesian model-averaging approach was performed to confirm the significance of each variable by using posterior probabilities. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 49.88+/-13.80 years and the male-to-female ratio was 24:17. The median follow-up was 5.42 years (interquartile range, 2.8-8.4 years). Five- and 10-year CSS rates were 55.9% and 43.4%, respectively. Lower Sheldon (p=0.004) and Mayo (p<0.001) stage, mucinous adenocarcinoma (p=0.005), and larger tumor size (p=0.023) were significant predictors of high survival probability on the basis of a log-rank test. By use of the Bayesian model-averaging approach, higher Mayo stage and larger tumor size were significant predictors of cancer-specific mortality in urachal carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: The Mayo staging system might be more effective than the Sheldon staging system. In addition, the multivariate analyses suggested that tumor size may be a prognostic factor for urachal carcinoma.
Adult ; Bayes Theorem ; Carcinoma/*pathology/*therapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/*pathology/*therapy

OBJECTIVE: Anxiolytics and antidepressants are commonly used to treat depressive disorders in pregnant women. Specific and clear evidence is required when managing pregnant patients with such medications to ensure safety. However, information provided by approval label information is insufficient and often different among many countries. By analyzing label information of approval label and other references, this study aims to show the limitations and suggest appropriate directions for retrieving safety information. METHODS: We selected five anxiolytics and eleven antidepressants, which belongs to Korea drug classification codes 117 (psychotropic agents). We chose four countries, Korea, the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom, Japan and collected safety information for pregnant women in label information. We evaluated the safety information based on recommendation level and evidence level. Then, kappa value and overall agreement were calculated using SAS 9.3. to assess data homogeneity. We further searched Reprotox and a textbook about contraindicated drugs in label information. RESULTS: Recommendation level and evidence level was different in each country. The number of commonly contraindicated drug in label information of four countries was none, and contraindicated drugs in labels were different respectively. Kappa value of evidence level between label information of Korea and Japan, the USA and Japan was 0.61, 0.43 respectively, corresponding to 'substantial agreement' and 'moderate agreement'. The overall agreement was 75%, 62.5% respectively. The information of label was different from that of other references, Reprotox and a textbook in terms of the clinical evidences and recommendation levels. CONCLUSION: Safety information of anxiolytics and antidepressants in label information needs to be updated on a regular basis both for health professionals and patients. With the implication of the inconsistent guidance for the safety information in pregnant women, reliable safety information in pregnant women would be needed.
Americas ; Anti-Anxiety Agents* ; Antidepressive Agents* ; Classification ; Depressive Disorder ; Female ; Great Britain ; Health Occupations ; Humans ; Japan* ; Korea* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; United States

Tuberous sclerosis is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by facial skin lesions, epilepsy, and mental retardation. Pulmonary involvement in tuberous sclerosis is rare and shows characteristic reticulonodular infiltration and cystic changes. Lymphangioleiomyomatosis is characterized by the progressive proliferation of smooth muscle cells and occurs in 0.1-1% of patients with tuberous sclerosis. We encountered a case of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis associated with tuberous sclerosis and bilateral renal angiomyolipoma in a 31-year-old female patient. This case is reported here along with a brief review of the literature.
Adult ; Angiomyolipoma ; Epilepsy ; Female ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Lymphangioleiomyomatosis ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Skin ; Tuberous Sclerosis

Tuberous sclerosis is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by facial skin lesions, epilepsy, and mental retardation. Pulmonary involvement in tuberous sclerosis is rare and shows characteristic reticulonodular infiltration and cystic changes. Lymphangioleiomyomatosis is characterized by the progressive proliferation of smooth muscle cells and occurs in 0.1-1% of patients with tuberous sclerosis. We encountered a case of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis associated with tuberous sclerosis and bilateral renal angiomyolipoma in a 31-year-old female patient. This case is reported here along with a brief review of the literature.
Adult ; Angiomyolipoma ; Epilepsy ; Female ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Lymphangioleiomyomatosis ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Skin ; Tuberous Sclerosis

We investigated the value of lymph node dissection in patients with cN0 muscle-invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract (UUT-TCC). Medical records of 152 patients with cN0 muscle-invasive UUT-TCC, who underwent nephroureterectomy between 1986 and 2005, were reviewed. Sixty-three patients (41.4%) underwent lymph node dissection. The median number of lymph nodes harvested was 6 (range, 1 to 35), and from these, lymph node involvement was confirmed in 9 patients (14.3%). Locoregional recurrence (LR) and disease-recurrence (DR) occurred in 29 patients and 63 patients, respectively. Fifty-five patients (36.2%) had died of cancer at the last follow-up. The number of lymph nodes harvested was associated with the reduction of LR (chi-square(trend)=6.755, P=0.009), but was not associated with DR (chi-square(trend)=1.558, P=0.212). In the survival analysis, N stage (P=0.0251) and lymph node dissection (P=0.0073) had significant influence on LR, but not on DR or disease-specific survival. However, the number of lymph nodes harvested did not affect LR-free, DR-free, or disease-specific survival. We conclude that lymph node dissection may improve the control of locoregional cancer, as well as staging accuracy, in cN0 muscle-invasive UUT-TCC, but that it does not clearly influence survival.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/mortality/*surgery/therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms/mortality/*surgery/therapy ; *Lymph Node Excision ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Nephrectomy ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis ; Ureteral Neoplasms/mortality/*surgery/therapy

Renal pelvic transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), which invades beyond muscularis into peripelvic fat or the renal parenchyma, is diagnosed as stage pT3 despite its structural complexity. We evaluated the prognostic impact of peripelvic fat invasion in pT3 renal pelvic TCC. Between 1986 and 2004, the medical records on 128 patients who were surgically treated for renal pelvic TCC were retrospectively reviewed. Sixty patients with pT3 disease were eligible for the main analysis. The prognostic impact of various clinicopathological factors was analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. On univariate analysis, sex, age, concomitant bladder tumors, concomitant ureter tumors, lymphadenectomy, adjuvant chemotherapy, tumor grade, multiplicity, renal parenchymal invasion, and carcinoma in situ did not influence the disease-specific survival (p>0.05). By contrast, peripelvic fat invasion, lymph node invasion, and lymphovascular invasion were each significantly associated with disease-specific survival (p<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that peripelvic fat invasion (p=0.012) and lymph node invasion (p=0.004) were independent prognostic factors. In conclusion, peripelvic fat invasion is a strong prognostic factor in pT3 renal pelvic TCC. Thus, systemic adjuvant therapy should be considered in the presence of peripelvic fat invasion, even if the lymph nodes are not involved.
Adipose Tissue/*pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/mortality/*pathology/surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms/mortality/*pathology/surgery ; Lymph Nodes/pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Pelvis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis

PURPOSE: Few studies have examined acute prostatitis in Korea. To initiate the investigation of this topic, a multi-center retrospective analysis of acute prostatitis was conducted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical records of 335 patients from 13 hospitals, diagnosed with acute prostatitis, between January of 1994 and October of 2004, were reviewed. For each patient, the urine culture, changes in the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) value and the prostate volume, the incidence of prostate abscess, the use of antibiotics, and whether the disease went into remission or progressed to chronic prostatitis were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients, time from the onset of symptom to admission and number of days of admitted were 54.9+/-15.1 (16-85) years, 2.4+/-3.4 (16-85) days and 7.5+/-3.9 (1-25) days, respectively. The chief symptoms of the patients were high fever, dysuria and urinary frequency. Routine urinalysis found pyuria in 82% and hematuria in 70% of patients. The causative organisms of 43.0% of the patients were cultured, with the chief organisms found to be E. coli (67%) and P. aeruginosa (13%), et al. The mean PSA and prostate volume on initial diagnosis were 24.6+/-30.2ng/ml and 45.8 +/-17.4ml, respectively, and a prostate abscess was found in 4 patients (3.1%). The antibiotics injected during patient admission were: cephalosporin family (68%), aminoglycosides (70%) and quinolone family (43%). An additional alpha blocker was used in 49% of cases. Oral quinolone (91%), cephalosporin (9%) and alpha blocker (44%) were prescribed for a mean 32.5 (2-180) days after discharge. 259 (77%) of the patients were available for follow-up. Of these, 21% took antibiotics over an 8 week treatment period, and 8% over a 12 week period. The disappearance of pyuria after treatment was observed in a mean of 13 days after the end of treatment. After 13 weeks of treatment, 11 (50%) of the 22 patients who received prostate massage (4.2% of all follow up patients) were found to have chronic prostatitis. The mean PSA and prostate volume declined during follow up, to 6.13+/-10.38ng/ml and 37.5+/-13.5ml, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the most common chief symptom of acute prostatitis was a high fever, with the most common causative organism being E. coli. Patients were admitted for approximately one week, and treated with antibiotic for about one month, after which time PSA elevation was observed in 80% of patients. Although all acute prostatitis patients were treated with proper antibiotics, progression to chronic prostatitis was observed in 4.2% of patients.
Abscess ; Aminoglycosides ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Diagnosis ; Dysuria ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Massage ; Patient Admission ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatitis* ; Pyuria ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinalysis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of serial prostate biopsy in men with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, where the initial biopsies were negative for cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2000 and December 2003, 750 men with a serum PSA level of 4.0ng/ml or greater underwent transrectal ultrasound guided needle biopsy of the prostate, with 218 (29.1%) diagnosed as having prostate cancer. Of the other 532 men, 104 (19.5%), whose follow-up PSA level was persistently elevated beyond the normal range, underwent a second biopsy, with 26 (4.9%) undergoing third and subsequent biopsies for the same reason. The cancer detection rates after each biopsy session, and reliable predictors for prostate cancer after the 2nd biopsy in those whose PSA level was in the gray zone, were evaluated. RESULTS: The cancer detection rates of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd biopsies were 29.1, 16.3 and 30.7%, respectively, with 10.3% of the prostate cancers detected in this study missed on the initial biopsy. The detection rate of the second biopsy in gray zone patients was 13.1%, which was comparable to the first biopsy result (12.7%) for the same range group. The median PSA, % free PSA and PSA density were significantly different between the prostate cancer and non-cancer groups after the second biopsy in gray zone patients (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 10.3% of the prostate cancers detected in this study were missed on the initial biopsy. The median PSA, % free PSA and PSA density are reliable predictors of prostate cancer after the second biopsy in gray zone patients.
Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Needle ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Reference Values ; Ultrasonography