Objective To investigate the long-term efficacy and complications of brachytherapy in early stage prostate cancer.Methods The data of 117 cases of early stage prostate cancer patients were analyzed,aged from 51 to 84 years,with an average of 73 years.The PSA ranged from 0.4 to 47.6 μg/L (14.7 in average),Gleason score ranged from 4 to 9 (6.4 in average),clinical stage ranged from T1b to T2c,the prostate volume ranged from 13 to 69 ml (31 ml in average),and the positive biopsy rate was 8％to 100％ (45％ in average).The low-risk,intermediate-risk and high-risk prostate cancer were 22,29 and 66 cases.Biochemical no evidence of disease (bNED),overall survival and complications were recorded.Results Followed up from 19 to 114 months (84 months in average),33 cases had biochemical recurrence (bNED rate,72％).Twelve patients died,among which 4 patients died of prostate cancer.The overall survival rate was 90％,and the cancer-specific survival rate was 97％.The bNED rates in low-risk,intermediate-risk and high-risk groups were 86％,79％ and 64％,and the difference was significant among the 3groups (P=0.040).The overall survival rates were 100％,90％ and 86％,with no significant difference among the 3 groups (P=0.189).Urinary retention occurred in 11 cases (9％),among which 1 patient had TURP treatment.No serious complications such as rectal fistula occurred.Conclusions The long-term efficacy of brachytherapy in early stage prostate cancer is definite with few complications.With a mean followup of 7 years,the bNED rate was 72％ and the overall survival rate was 90％.

Objective To investigate the prognostic factors of biochemical relapse in patients with early stage prostate cancer after brachytherapy.Methods From December 2003 to December 2007,117 patients (age 51-84 years,median 73 years) with early stage prostate cancer underwent brachytherapy at our hospital.The PSA ranged from 0.4 to 47.6 μg/L (median,14.7 g/L),in which 75 cases with PSA＜ 20.0 μg/L and 42 cases with PSA≥20.0 μg/L.Clinical stage ranged from T1b to T2c.The prostate volume ranged from 13 to 69 ml (average,31 ml),and the percentage of positive biopsy cores was 8％ to 100％ (average,45％),in which 69 cases with a positivity＜50％ and 48 cases with a positivity≥50％.The D90 ranged from 106 to 170 Gy (average,142 Gy).And 6 patients were treated with external beam radiation in combination.The biochemical no evidence of disease (bNED) rate was recorded.And possible prognostic factors,including risk stratification,PSA,clinical stage,prostate volume,biopsy positivity and D90,were analyzed by using SPSS 19.0 software.Results The patients were followed up for 19 to 114 months (average,84 months; median,82 months).And biochemical relapse was observed in 33 cases (bNED rate,72％).The bNED rates in low-risk,intermediate-risk and high-risk groups were 86％,79％ and 64％,respectively and significant correlations were found between bNED rate and risk stratification (P=0.040).Moreover,the bNED rate was significantly higher in patients with the following factors,namely PSA＜20.0 μg/L (P =0.028),percentage of positive biopsy cores＜50％ (P =0.006) and high-dose implants (D90 ≥ 140 Gy) (P=0.009).Conclusions The long-term efficacy of brachytherapy in early stage prostate cancer is definite.Significant associations are found between bNED rate and risk stratification.And higher rates of biochemical relapse could be found in patients with PSA ≥ 20.0 μg/L,percentage of positive biopsy cores ≥ 50％ or D90＜ 140 Gy groups.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of template-guided transperineal prostate biopsy (TTPB) by comparing biopsy-derived pathological results with findings from radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens.Methods From April 2013 to December 2015,patients who were diagnosed prostate cancer by transperineal template-guided 11-region prostate biopsy were enrolled in our study,and underwent laparoscopic RP.All whole-mount slices were reconstructed via a three-dimensional prostate model.Pathological features of the biopsy and RP specimens were compared.Detection rate of index lesions,overall sensitivity and specificity of TTPB,Gleason scores (GSs) in comparisons of biopsy and RP specimens were analyzed.Results One hundred and three patients were enrolled in our study,and the mean age was (65 ± 6)years.The median serum PSA was 11.7 ng/ml(IQR 7.2-19.1 ng/ml).The Gleason score ranged from 6 to 9.The clinical stage was T1c-T3a and the median prostate volume was 33.0 ml(IQR 26.0-43.0 ml).Eighty-nine of the 103 index lesions (86.4％) were detected by biopsy.The median volume was 1.2 ml (IQR 0.5-3.3 ml) and the mean maximum tumor length was (0.6 ± 0.4)cm.The overall sensitivity and specificity of the transperineal prostate biopsies were 53.3％ and 94.2％,respectively.RP-derived GSs were unchanged,upgraded and downgraded relative to the corresponding biopsy-derived GSs in 75 (72.8％),24 (23.3％) and 4 (3.9％) patients,respectively.Conclusions Stematic transperineal template-guided prostate biopsy could detect most of the index lesions.This biopsy approach was less able to determine tumour focal positioning and could only serve as a reference for guiding focal therapy.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) combined with electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive technique for studying the excitability and connectivity of the brain cortex, which has been applied in basic scientific research and clinical disease assessment. However, the applicability of TMS-EEG is limited due to artifacts of both biological and abiotic nature induced by TMS pulse output. To address this issue, in the past decade, researchers have developed various TMS-EEG artifact removal methods from two perspectives, including online experimental design and offline data post-processing, and have achieved numerous valuable results. In this paper, the currently available TMS-EEG artifact removal methods are reviewed to facilitate the application of TMS-EEG in basic research and clinical disease diagnosis and treatment.

Magneto-acoustic-electric tomography (MAET) boasts high resolution in ultrasound imaging and high contrast in electrical impedance imaging, making it of significant research value in the fields of early tumor diagnosis and bioelectrical monitoring. In this study, a method was proposed that combined high conductivity liquid metal and maximum length sequence (M sequence) coded excitation to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. It was shown that, under rotational scanning, the liquid metal significantly improved the signal-to-noise ratio of the inter-tissue magneto-acoustic-electric signal and enhanced the quality of the reconstructed image. The signal-to-noise ratio of the signal was increased by 5.6, 11.1, 21.7, and 45.7 times under the excitation of 7-, 15-, 31-, and 63-bit M sequence code, respectively. The total usage time of 31-bit M sequence coded excitation imaging was shortened by 75.6% compared with single-pulse excitation when the same signal-to-noise ratio was improved. In conclusion, the imaging method combining liquid metal and M-sequence coding excitation has positive significance for improving MAET image quality.
Contrast Media ; Electricity ; Electric Conductivity ; Acoustics ; Tomography

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the outcomes of permanent brachytherapy combined with maximal androgen blockade (MAB) in local intermediated-risk prostate cancer.

METHODSFrom December 2003 to December 2009, 307 patients of local prostate cancer were treated with brachytherapy, 98 cases of intermediated-risk were followed-up for 5 years and data were recorded, aged from 58 to 84 years, average 74 years. Serum PSA was 0.4-19.0 µg/L, average 11.2 µg/L, clinical TNM stage was T1cN0M0-T2bN0M0. Gleason score 4-7, 6.7 in average. Prostate volume ranged from 14 to 65 ml, average 32.1 ml. All the 98 patients underwent permanent brachytherapy combined with MAB. Biochemical recurrence rate, biochemical-free survival, tumor-specific survival, overall survival, salvage therapy and complications were analyzed.

RESULTSFollowed up for 5 years, 19 cases had biochemical recurrence, median recurrence period: 36 months. One patient died of prostate cancer 45 months after brachytherapy of all 7 patients died in 5 years. Five-years biochemical-free recurrence rate: 80.6%, overall survival: 92.9%, tumor-specific survival: 98.9%, biochemical-free survival: 79.3%. Low-urinary tract and rectal irritation symptoms occurred in 75 cases(76.5%). Urinary retention occurred in 7 cases (7.1%) with catheterization duration less than 1 week, no surgical operation were performed. Seeds immigration to lung in 2 cases. No serious complications occurred.

CONCLUSIONIn local intermediated-risk prostate cancer patients, permanent brachytherapy combined with short-term MAB can be an effective treatment with few complications.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Androgen Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Brachytherapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the outcomes of T3a prostate cancer treated by permanent interstitial brachytherapy combined with external radiotherapy and hormone therapy, and analyse the influence of preoperative factors on prognosis.

METHODSFrom January 2003 to December 2008, 38 pactients with T3a prostate cancer aged from 48 to 81 years (mean: 71 years) were enrolled, with serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels ranged from 10.000 to 99.800 µg/L (mean: 56.300 µg/L), Gleason score from 5 to 9 (mean: 7.6) and percentage of positive biopsy cores from 10.0% to 100% (mean: 65.3%). All patients were treated by permanent interstitial brachytherapy combined with external radiotherapy and hormone therapy. Survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The predictive factors including patient's age, prostate volume, serum pre-treatment PSA, Gleason score and percentage of positive biopsy cores were used for univariate analysis on biochemical failure-free, distant metastasis-free and overall survival.

RESULTSThe mean follow-up was 69 months (range: 9-109 months).Nineteen patients experienced biochemical failure. The average biochemical failure time was 13.4 months (range: 1-40 months). There were 13 patients developed as distant metastatic prostate cancer since average 19.7 months (range: 1-70 months) after brachytherapy. Of all patients, 9 died of prostate cancer recurrence, while 6 passed away because of other reasons, with an average of 52.2 months (range: 9.0- 98.5 months). The 5-year biochemical failure-free survival (BFFS), distant metastasis free survival (DMFS), cancer specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) rate were 44.1%, 68.6%, 82.4 and 75.8%, respectively. Twenty-nine patients experienced grade 1-2 gastrointestinal toxicity and 18 patients experienced grade 1-2 genitourinary toxicity. In univariate analysis, the percentage of positive biopsy cores was significantly correlated with BFFS (χ(2) = 17.240, P = 0.000), DMFS (χ(2) = 18.641, P = 0.000) and OS (χ(2) = 8.970, P = 0.003); the Gleason score was significantly correlated with DMFS (χ(2) = 12.484, P = 0.000) and OS (χ(2) = 6.575, P = 0.010); and patient's age was significantly correlated with OS (χ(2) = 5.179, P = 0.023).

CONCLUSIONSPermanent interstitial brachytherapy combined with external radiotherapy and hormone therapy is alternative for T3a prostate cancer. The percentage of positive biopsy cores is correlated with BFFS, DMFS and OS.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Brachytherapy ; methods ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Hormones ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prognosis ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; radiotherapy ; Radiotherapy ; methods ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome