PURPOSE: Recently in light of the development in immunology, interferon- e and inter- leukin-2 or combination therapy with anticancer drugs have been performed. This study aims to verify and compare the efficacy of therapies using interferon- a alone, interferon- a plus vinblastine, and interferon- a plus interleukin-2 plus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus 13-cis retinoic acid (13cRA) in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 29 patients were randomly assigned to receive treatment with either interferon- a alone or interferon- a plus vinblastine or interferon- a plus interleukin-2 plus 5-FU plus 13cRA from December 1989 to May 1998. The most frequent metastatic sites were the lung, lymph nodes, bone, liver, and brain. We studied the response rates, survival period, and complications of each regimen. RESULTS: Responses were achieved in 1 out of 1~5 patients (6.73?o) on interferon- a alone (partial responses lasting 13 months), 1 out of 9 patients (11.1%) on interferon- e plus vinblastine (partial responses lasting 25 months) and 1 out of 5 patients (20.0%) on interferon-a plus IL-2 plus 5-FU plus 13cRA regimen (partial responses lasting 14 months). The median durations of survival were 18, 33, and 23 months respectively. The overall response rate was 10.3% and overall median duration of survival was 19 months. The most common side effects were flu-like symptom such as fever, chills (93.1%), skin symptom such as erythema, pruritus (31.0%), G-I symptom such as nausea, vomiting (17.2%), netropenia (10.3%), abnormal LFT (10.3%), and thrombocytopenia (3.4%). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the manageability and tolerability of several regimen used. There is no significant differences in response rates and survival duration among the regimens used in this study. The effective immunotherapy in patients with metastatic RCC should be evaluated by further studies of larger patients groups even though a minority of patients responded.
Allergy and Immunology ; Brain ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Chills ; Erythema ; Fever ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Immunotherapy* ; Interferon-alpha ; Interferons* ; Interleukin-2 ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Nausea ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Survival Rate ; Thrombocytopenia ; Tretinoin ; Vinblastine ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Humans ; Prostate* ; Urinary Retention*

PURPOSE: Platinum coordination complex (cisplatin) has been currently used as one of the most effective compound in the treatment of various solid tumors. However, its use has been limited by severe side effects such as renal toxicity. Our platinum-based drug discovery program has been aimed at developing drugs capable of diminishing toxicity and selective cytotoxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A new series of highly water soluble platinum (II) complexes Pt (II) [1,3-Bis (phenylthio) propane) (trans-l-1,2-diaminocyclohexane) (PC-1) and Pt (II) [1,3-Bis-(phenylthio) (propane)]-1,2-diaminocyclohexane (PC-2) were synthesized and characterized by their elemental analysis and by various spectroscopic techniques [infrared (.IR), ""C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)]. In vitro antitumor activity and nephrotoxi -cities of new Pt (II) complexes were tested against MKN-45 human gastric cancer cell- lines and normal kidney cells using colorimetric MTT[3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] assay for cell survival and proliferation. RESULTS: PC-1 showed activity against MKN-45/P and MKN-45/CDDP human gastric adenocarcinoma cells, and the antitumor activity of this compound was comparable or superior to that of PC-2 and cisplatin. The nephrotoxicity of PC-1 and PC-2 were found quite less than that of cisplatin using MTT, [H] thymidine uptake and glucose consumption tests in rabbit proximal tubule cells, human kidney cortical cells and human renal cortical tissues. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, this novel platinum (II) complex compound (PC-1) represent a valuable lead in the development of a new anticancer chemotherapeutic agent capable of improving antitumor activity and low nephrotoxicity.
Adenocarcinoma ; Cell Survival ; Cisplatin ; Drug Discovery ; Glucose ; Humans* ; Kidney* ; Platinum ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Thymidine

No abstract available.
Biopsy* ; Diagnosis* ; Humans

PURPOSE: We studied to evaluate the effect of percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) in liver abscess. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data (presence of fever, WBC count), radiological findings (computed tomography, ultrasonography and abscessogram) and correlated them with treatment period. Percutaneous drainage of liver abscess were performed in 19 patients under fluoroscopy guide during recent three years. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (95%) were cured, and one patient underwent surgery because of peritonitis caused by PCD procedure. Average treatment period was 17 days. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of liver abscess, PCD is thought to be safe and effective.
Catheters* ; Drainage* ; Fever ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Liver Abscess* ; Liver* ; Peritonitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

A clinical observation was made on 11 cases of kidney transplantation donors performed in the Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University during the period from August, 1978 to October, 1979. The following results were obtained: 1) The age was ranged from 24 to 72 years old and most favorable age was in 50 to 59 years old The average was 51.7 years old. 2) The sex ratio, male to female, was 4:7. 3) Relation between donor and recipient: Related living donor: 10 cases, Unrelated living donor: 1 4) Among total 11 operated patients, thoracoabdominal incision performed on 10 cases and anterior subcostal incision was done only 1 case. 5) Postoperative renal function was estimated through the serum B.U.N and creatinine level at within postoperative 24 hours and it was almost normal range 6) Average operation time was 255 minutes. 7) The postoperative complications were would infection (2 cases), urinary tract infection(1 case), pneumothorax (1 case) and bronchopneumonia (1 case).
Aged ; Bronchopneumonia ; Creatinine ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Living Donors ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumothorax ; Postoperative Complications ; Reference Values ; Sex Ratio ; Tissue Donors* ; Urinary Tract ; Urology

Purpose: Neutropenia is a major factor contributing to morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. The efficacy and complications of GM- CSF (Granulocyte-Macrophage colony stimulating factor) on the neutropenia induced by chemotherapy or immunotherapy were evaluated in patients with a urologic malignancy. Material and Methods: Twenty-nine patients with a histologically confirmed urologic malignancy, who presented with neutropenia during either chemotherapy or immunotherapy, were given a fixed dose (400microgram) of GM-CSF subcutaneously for three to fifteen days. Twenty-nine patients with neutropenia were given GM-CSF for 50 cycles. The patients were evaluated by means of a complete blood cell count, white cell and differential counts. The mean time to response was 2.3 days. The statistical significance of the differences was calculated using a paired t test. RESULTS: GM-CSF treatment in patients with neutropenia resulted in an increase in the mean neutrophil count, the eosinophil count, and the monocyte count. Complications of GM-CSF included fever (76%), GI problems (19%), headache (14%), bone pain (14%), arthralgia (10%), and urticaria (5%). CONCLUSIONS: GM-CSF may be useful in reducing the toxicity of chemotherapy. Therefore, GM-CSF can be used to increase the effect of chemotherapy without delaying or stopping treatment as a result of neutropenia.
Arthralgia ; Drug Therapy* ; Eosinophils ; Fever ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor* ; Headache ; Humans ; Immunotherapy* ; Leukocyte Count ; Monocytes ; Mortality ; Neutropenia* ; Neutrophils ; Urticaria

Bladder stone formation may be associated with the intravesical foreign body. Frequency of bladder foreign body in female is less than male. We present a case of bladder stone formation for nylon suture materials in a 47-year-old female patient who has been treated by bladder neck suspension for stress incontinence. Patient was successfully treated by surgical removal of suture materials without recurrence of stress incontinence.
Female ; Foreign Bodies* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck* ; Nylons ; Recurrence ; Sutures ; Urinary Bladder Calculi* ; Urinary Bladder*

This experiment was designed to investigate the histochemical and ultrastructural changes of the proximal tubules and glomeruli of rabbits treated with cyclosporin A (CsA) or cyclosporin A and concomitant administration of prednisolone (PD). Rabbits were given with CsA for 1 week (CsAlW) and for 2 weeks (CsA2W) and CsA plus PD for 1 week (CsA +PDIW) and for 2 weeks (CsA+PD2W). The dose of CsA was 5mg/kg/day i.v. and PD was 1 mg/kg/day i.m. At 1 week and 2 weeks after the treatments, the following items were studied of alkaline phosphatase (ALPase). peroxidase, 5'-nucleotidase (SNU) with the ultrastructural enzymatic changes and electron microscopic changes. CsAlW, CsA2W and CsA +PD2W groups showed a decrease of ALPase activity and CsA+PD2W and CsA2W groups showed weakly increased peroxidase activity CsA2W and CsA+PD2W showed a decrease of 5NU activity. Ultrastructural changes of CsAlW CsA2W and CsA+PD2W groups revealed swollen and disrupted mitochondria, loss of brush border in the proximal tubules and thickening of basement membranes, edematous podocytes and fusion of root processes of podocytes in the glomeruli showing the early stage of nephrotoxicity. The concomitant treatment of PD with CsA eased the nephrotoxicity of CsA within 1 week after the treatment.
5'-Nucleotidase ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Basement Membrane ; Cyclosporine* ; Kidney* ; Microvilli ; Mitochondria ; Peroxidase ; Podocytes ; Prednisolone* ; Rabbits

PURPOSE: The authors investigated the clinical significance of the C-reactive protein(CRP) in recurrence, metastasis and prognostic factors of renal cell carcinoma(RCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1994 to April 1998, a total of 48 patients (confirmed as the RCC by pathology after radical nephrectomy) underwent a study that made a correlation between the CRP and stage, tumor size, grade, cell type, patient`s age and sex. The CRP was measured preoperatively and postoperatively at an interval of 3 months by the rate nephelometry (quantitatively). RESULTS: The mean of preoperative CRP(mg/dL) were 1.29 at stageI, 0.50 at II, 3.67 at III, 0.50 at IV. The mean of preoperative CRP in tumor size were 1.07 at<5cm, 1.62 at 5-10cm, 1.60 at >10cm. With regard to grade, the mean of preoperative CRP were 0.50 at grade I, 0.62 at II, 0.86 at III, 4.04 at IV, but there was no statistical significance(p=0.24). The mean of preoperative CRP were 1.44 at clear cell type, 0.76 at granular cell type, 0.50 at mixed type. With regard to age, the mean of preoperative CRP were 1.15 in the 4th decade, 0.98 in the 5th, 1.93 in the 6th, 0.97 in the 7th and 0.50 in the 8th decade. The mean of preoperative CRP were 1.18 in men, 1.52 in women. There were 5 patients who had distant metastasis during the follow up interval. The preoperative average of the CRP in this group was 0.50 and 0.74 at the time of distant metastasis; however, it was not statistically significant(p=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: The CRP was not a significant prognostic factor in the RCC as compared with the stage, grade, tumor size, cell type, age and sex.
C-Reactive Protein* ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Cell Size ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Pathology ; Recurrence