PURPOSE: With the process of neoangiogenesis being linked to the growth and metastasis of various tumors, anticancer therapeutics with a basis in the suppression of neoangiogenesis has recently been receiving attention. In this study, we tried to clarify the immunoreactivities of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), major angiogenic inducer and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), major angiogenic inhibitor in human Wilms' tumor and its clinicopathological significance. MATERAILS AND METHODS: Utilizing immunohistochemical staining, we assessed the immunoreactivities of VEGF and TSP-1 in archival tissues of 29 Wilms' tumors and 25 normal kidneys. Also, we assessed the relationship between expression of each factor and clinicopathological parameters in 29 cases of Wilms' tumors. RESULTS: Immunoreactivities of VEGF and TSP-1 were detected mainly in the cytoplasm of the tubular cells in normal kidneys. In Wilms' tumors, whereas VEGF was detected in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells and peritumoral stromal tissues, but TSP-1 only in the peritumoral stromal tissues. Immunohistochemical expression patterns of each factor were divided into two groups according to the area of immunoreactivity (negative:<10%, positive: > OR =10%). VEGF immunoreactivity was detected in 25 (100%) normal kidneys and in 20 (69%) Wilms' tumors. However, TSP-1 immunoreactivity was detected in 24 (97%) normal kidneys and in 3 (10%) Wilms' tumors. Therefore, although no significant difference was observed between the expressions of VEGF and TSP-1 in normal kidney, the TSP-1 immunoreactivity was significantly lower than VEGF immunoreactivity in Wilms' tumors. A relatively higher rate of positive expression of TSP-1 was observed in the patients with no demonstrable lymph node metastasis. Also, as for the VEGF, maximal diameter of the tumor was larger in the positive expression group. However, it proved otherwise for TSP-1 as the negative expression group demonstrated tumors with larger maximal diameters. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that the TSP-1 immunoreactivity was significantly lower than VEGF immunoreactivity in Wilms' tumors, and disease progression has a tendency to be found in the VEGF-positive cases and TSP-1 negative cases. We suggest that the growth and metastasis of Wilms' tumor may be influenced mainly by TSP-1 decrease rather than VEGF increase.
Cytoplasm ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thrombospondin 1 ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A* ; Wilms Tumor*

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus Infections*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Prognosis*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Prognosis*

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of maximal androgen blockade (MAB) compared with that of medical or surgical castration alone in the treatment of the metastatic prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the progressive status and the survival of the patients with stage D Prostate cancer who had received hormonal therapies at our institution. Classified by treatment arms, the patients were divided into two groups. Group I was composed of 82 patients who had undergone either bilateral orchiectomy or GnRH agonist (goserelin acetate) injection alone, and Group II, of 65 patients who had undergone MAB with antiandrogen (flutamide) in addition to bilateral orchiectomy or gosereline acetate injection. We investigated the overall survival, time to objective progression, progression-free survival, and side effects. RESULTS: The 5 year survival rates of Group I and II were 31.2 % and 32.5%, respec tively and median survival after the treatment was 34.2 months and 38.0 months respectively, which showed no significant differences between the two groups (p=0.21). The time to objective progression was 22.0 months in Group I and 24.0 months in Group II (p=0.52). Furthermore, each of median progression-free survival was 23.0 months and 24.0 months, respectively (p=0.79). In the minimal disease group, MAB appeared to increase the overall survival rate by 9.7%, progression-free survival rate by 7.3% and the time to objective progression by 10 months, respectively compared with the monotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: In the hormonal therapy for the patients with stage D prostate cancer, there were no significant differences in overall survival, median progression-free sur vival, and time to objective progression between monotherapy and MAB. This indicates that MAB does not have any advantages.
Arm ; Castration ; Disease-Free Survival ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Goserelin ; Humans ; Orchiectomy ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate

Background: Autophagy maintains muscle mass and healthy skeletal muscles. Several recent studies have associated sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption with diseases. We investigated whether muscle dysfunction due to obesity could be restored by SSB restriction (SR) alone or in combination with exercise (EX) training. Methods: Obese mice were subjected to SR combined with treadmill EX. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test, grip strength test, hanging time test, and body composition analysis were performed. Triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) serum concentrations and TG concentrations in quadriceps muscles were analyzed. Western blot and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction helped analyze autophagy-related protein and mRNA expression, respectively. Results: SR alone had no significant effect on fasting blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance, and muscle function. However, it had effect on serum TC, serum TG, and BCL2 interacting protein 3 expression. SR+EX improved glucose tolerance and muscle function and increased serum TC utilization than SR alone. SR+EX reduced P62 levels, increased glucose transporter type 4 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α protein expression, and improved grip strength relative to the high-fat and high-sucrose liquid (HFHS) group, and this was not observed in the HFHS+EX group. Conclusion SR induced mitophagy-related protein expression in quadriceps, without affecting muscle function. And, the combination of SR and EX activated mitophagy-related proteins and improved muscle function.

Background: Autophagy maintains muscle mass and healthy skeletal muscles. Several recent studies have associated sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption with diseases. We investigated whether muscle dysfunction due to obesity could be restored by SSB restriction (SR) alone or in combination with exercise (EX) training. Methods: Obese mice were subjected to SR combined with treadmill EX. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test, grip strength test, hanging time test, and body composition analysis were performed. Triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) serum concentrations and TG concentrations in quadriceps muscles were analyzed. Western blot and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction helped analyze autophagy-related protein and mRNA expression, respectively. Results: SR alone had no significant effect on fasting blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance, and muscle function. However, it had effect on serum TC, serum TG, and BCL2 interacting protein 3 expression. SR+EX improved glucose tolerance and muscle function and increased serum TC utilization than SR alone. SR+EX reduced P62 levels, increased glucose transporter type 4 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α protein expression, and improved grip strength relative to the high-fat and high-sucrose liquid (HFHS) group, and this was not observed in the HFHS+EX group. Conclusion SR induced mitophagy-related protein expression in quadriceps, without affecting muscle function. And, the combination of SR and EX activated mitophagy-related proteins and improved muscle function.

A 42-year-old male was hospitalized with abdominal pain, dyspnea, and turbid peritoneal fluid. He was diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes and started continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) 11 months ago. He was treated with intraperitoneal cefazolin and ceftazidime, and then white blood cell counts of dialysate decreased. Incidentally, liver abscess was found in chest CT performed for the evaluation of dyspnea, and patient was febrile persistently. So percutaneous abscess drainage was done by pigtail catheter. We changed the antibiotics to ceftriaxone and metronidazole, and hemodialysis was started. Klebsiella pneumoniae was cultured from peritoneal fluid and blood simultaneously. We concluded that liver abscess is a primary cause of CAPD peritonitis.
Abdominal Pain ; Abscess ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ascitic Fluid ; Catheters ; Cefazolin ; Ceftazidime ; Ceftriaxone ; Drainage ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Klebsiella ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Leukocyte Count ; Liver ; Liver Abscess ; Male ; Metronidazole ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Peritonitis ; Renal Dialysis ; Thorax

Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC), a serious form of cystitis, is characterized by diffuse bladder mucosal inflammation with hemorrhage. The known causes of HC are radiation, chemotherapy, drug, and infection. But, most cases happen without definite etiology. Radiation induced HC can be developed at any time from 6 months to 10 years after pelvic irradiation therapy, and can appear as late as 2 decades. The complications of HC are anemia, chronic cystitis, and acute renal failure (ARF). However, HC- induced severe postrenal ARF is rare. We experienced a case of a postrenal ARF caused by hematoma in HC. A 55-year-old woman had past history of pelvic irradiation therapy for carcinoma of the cervix 13 years ago. She was initially treated by bladder catheterization and bladder irrigation with normal saline. HC and renal function were improved. However, HC was recurred shortly after stopping irrigation and serum creatinine was elevated again. Thus, we treated this patient successfully with both percutaneous nephrostomy and antegrade double J stent catheterization.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Anemia ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Cervix Uteri ; Cinnarizine ; Creatinine ; Cystitis ; Female ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Middle Aged ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous ; Stents ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: We tried to find out whether the nadir PSA level after hormone therapy affected the progression into hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the progressive status and the survival of the 177 patients with stage C or D prostate cancer who had received hormone therapies. The relative efficacy of the nadir PSA level for predicting the progression into HRPC was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: 85.4% of patients responded to the treatment and 78% of responders progressed into HRPC. Median time to nadir PSA level after hormone therapy and to HRPC were 8.1 and 24.0 months, respectively. The nadir PSA levels were under 0.2ng/ml in 31%, 0.2-1.0ng/ml in 23%, 1.1-10ng/ml in 42%, and over 10ng/ml in 5% of the responders (n=151). As the nadir PSA levels were lower, pretreatment PSA levels, Gleason score and the number of cases progressing into HRPC were significantly lower (p<0.05). In addition, the nadir PSA level was inversely correlated with the interval to the establishment of HRPC (r= 0.465, p<0.05). By univariate analysis, the bone metastasis, the nadir PSA level, PSA level at six months after treatment and pretreatment PSA level were associated with the progression into HRPC. Only the nadir PSA level was an independent factor by multivariate analysis. ROC analysis disclosed an accuracy of 86.2% for the nadir PSA level to predict the progression into HRPC after two years. By setting the lower limit of the nadir PSA level to 1.1ng/ml, the sensitivity was 80.3% and the specificity was 83.8%, being most adequate. CONCLUSIONS: The nadir PSA level after hormone therapy may be the most important factor that can predict the progression into HRPC. Also, in consideration of sensitivity and specificity, it would be adequate to set the lower limit of the nadir PSA level to 1.1ng/ml.
Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Grading ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity