Search

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) provide excellent benefits to the treatment of various cancer types, including urothelial carcinoma. Conversely, they can cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs), and some of them are severe or fatal. Furthermore, evidence on the safety and effectiveness of the readministration of ICIs after the occurrence of irAEs is limited. In this case report, a 78-year-old man who suffered from metastatic right renal pelvic cancer was treated with pembrolizumab. He had a partial response to pembrolizumab, but he developed grade 3 myasthenia gravis. The myasthenia gravis symptoms were immediately relieved by corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. When the disease rapidly progressed, he was treated again with pembrolizumab. After 5 days, a chest radiograph showed shrinkage of pulmonary metastases. Unfortunately, he died of multiple brain infarctions 7 days after the readministration. We report this case with a literature review on the efficacy and safety of the readministration of ICIs after the occurrence irAEs including myasthenia gravis., 本論文の要旨は第248回日本泌尿器科学会関西地方会にて発表した．

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) provide excellent benefits to the treatment of various cancer types, including urothelial carcinoma. Conversely, they can cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs), and some of them are severe or fatal. Furthermore, evidence on the safety and effectiveness of the readministration of ICIs after the occurrence of irAEs is limited. In this case report, a 78-year-old man who suffered from metastatic right renal pelvic cancer was treated with pembrolizumab. He had a partial response to pembrolizumab, but he developed grade 3 myasthenia gravis. The myasthenia gravis symptoms were immediately relieved by corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. When the disease rapidly progressed, he was treated again with pembrolizumab. After 5 days, a chest radiograph showed shrinkage of pulmonary metastases. Unfortunately, he died of multiple brain infarctions 7 days after the readministration. We report this case with a literature review on the efficacy and safety of the readministration of ICIs after the occurrence irAEs including myasthenia gravis.

This paper describes a case of renal pelvic cancer with a complete duplication of the renal pelvis and ureter, which is substantially rare. A 76-year-old man was referred to the hospital because of gross hematuria for 2 years. A tumor was detected in the upper right kidney using enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scan, and the downstream ureter was suspected to open into the prostate. Retrograde ureteroscopy via the ectopic ureter orifice showed a hemorrhagic papillary tumor consistent with imaging findings. Laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy was performed and the prostate was preserved because the tumor was only in the renal pelvis. Histopathological examination showed the tumor as a high-grade urothelial carcinoma. There was no sign of recurrence at one and a half years after operation. Ureteroscopy was effective in detecting an upper urinary tract tumor, even via ectopic ureter orifice, and preserving the prostate was possible.

Background: Application of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) in urological oncology was relatively slowly due to the urinary elimination of 18F-FDG. We investigated whether delayed post-diuretic 18F-FDG PET/CT could be used for diagnosing renal pelvic cancer. Methods: 51 patients were included who underwent delayed post-diuretic 18F-FDG PET/CT for detecting renal pelvic space-occupying lesions. The comparations of delayed PET/CT parameters and clinical characteristics between renal pelvic cancer and benign polyp were investigated. Results: Among the 51 patients, 47 were found to have renal pelvic urothelial carcinoma, and 4 had benign polyp. ROC analysis identified the lesion maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of 6.2 as the optimal cut-off value to distinguish from renal pelvic urothelial carcinoma to benign polyp. With the SUVmax cut-off of 6.2, the sensitivity, and specificity for predicting of renal pelvic urothelial carcinoma were 91.5% (43/47), and 100% (4/4). We also found a significant difference in tumor size between the positive (SUVmax > 6.2) and negative (SUVmax ≤ 6.2) PET groups in renal pelvic cancers. In patients with tumor size < 1.1 cm, the probability of being in the negative PET group was 75%. In such patients, a substantial proportion of renal pelvic cancer demonstrated negative SUVmax similar to that in patients with benign polyp. Conclusion: Delayed 18F-FDG PET/CT could be used for differentiating renal pelvic cancer from benign polyp. In patients with small tumor size, renal pelvic cancer may present low 18F-FDG uptake, mimicking the metabolic phenotypes of patients with benign polyp.

Introduction The safety and efficacy of pembrolizumab administration in patients with urothelial carcinoma and underlying autoimmune disease (including overlap syndrome) is unknown. Case presentation We present the case of a 67-year-old woman with cT3N2M0 metastatic renal pelvic cancer who had been treated with prednisolone for overlap syndrome involving systemic sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus for 20 years. She had a remarkable response to pembrolizumab as a third-line systemic therapy, wherein the tumor reduced in size and all regional lymph node and pulmonary metastases disappeared. She did not develop any immune-related adverse events or autoimmune disease flare-ups during the treatment. Conclusion This case report suggests that pembrolizumab could be beneficial to patients with urothelial carcinoma and underlying well-controlled overlap syndrome.

A 84-year-old female visited our hospital with the chief complaint of asymptomatic gross hematuria. The computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large invasive tumor in the right renal pelvis. Metastatic workup was negative. On imaging studies and voided urine cytology, diagnosis of right renal pelvic cancer (cT3N0M0) was made. Laparoscopic right nephroureterectomy was performed. Histopathological examinations revealed a small cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. The patient declined adjuvant chemotherapy and died 5 months after surgery. Primary small cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis is a rare disease. To our knowledge, this is the 29th case of primary small cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis in the world literature.

A man in his 70s was referred to our hospital for further examination of a positive occult blood finding. Imaging studies showed that the patient had right renal pelvic cancer with interaortocaval, multiple paracaval and left supraclavicular lymph node metastases (cT3N2Ml). Induction chemotherapy was performed with 5 cycles of MEC (methotrexate/epirubicin/cisplatin) followed by 2 cycles of GT (gemcitabine/paclitaxel). After the combined chemotherapies, the residual lesions were the primary tumor in the right renal pelvis and the left supraclavicular lymph node. Right total nephroureterectomy combined with lymph node dissection of paraaortic, paracaval, and interaortocaval area and left cervical area were performed. Histopathologically the postoperative T stage of the primary tumor was determined as ypT3. As for lymph nodes dissected, an interaortocaval lymph node alone, but not the other nodes, contained viable cancer cells. Adjuvant chemotherapy was performed with 7 courses of GT therapy. The patient had intravesical recurrence once and received transurethral resection of bladder tumor followed by intravesical instillations of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). Finally, the patient has been free from recurrence for 10 years after the final treatment.

We report a case of renal pelvic cancer found after left renal trauma. A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of gross hematuria after he had fallen down the stairs two days earlier. He had asymptomatic severe anemia (Hb : 3. 6 g/dl). Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed bilateral ureteropelvic stones, bilateral severe hydronephrosis and hematoma of the left upper renal pelvis. We diagnosed him with left renal pelvic hemorrhage by trauma, and transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was performed. After TAE, gross hematuria improved, but some hematuria continued to be noted. We suspected malignancy, and examined the patient with contrast-enhanced CT, transurethral resection and retrograde pyelography combined with urine cytology in the upper urinary tract, all with no evidence of malignancy. However, four months after the left renal injury, follow-up CT revealed multiple metastatic lesions. We performed a left nephrectomy, and the resulting pathological diagnosis was invasive urothelial carcinoma with squamous differentiation of the renal pelvis. We performed 7 courses of chemotherapy, but the multiple metastatic lesions progressed, and he died of the disease 19 months after the operation.

A 71-year-old man was referred to us with a right renal mass that was discovered by computed tomography (CT) examination for acquired hemophilia and leukemoid reaction. He presented with persistent low-grade fever and purpura on the lower legs caused by acquired hemophilia. Contrastenhanced CT scan showed a right renal tumor 6.0×7.4 cm in diameterwith inhomogeneous enhancement. The result of his urine cytology was negative. After improvement of his coagulation by treatment with immunosuppressants and steroids, he underwent open nephrectomy. Histology of renal tissue revealed urothelial carcinoma (G3, pT4, N1). After surgery, his complete blood counts and coagulation improved without administration of immunosuppressants and steroids. Therefore, he was diagnosed with renal pelvic cancer with acquired hemophilia and leukemoid reaction.

A 47-year-old woman who was diagnosed with right pyelonephritis by a local physician, but failed to respond to antimicrobial chemotherapy, was referred to our hospital. Here, the diagnosis of right pyonephrosis was confirmed byabdominal computed tomography(CT). Retrograde pyelography(RP) revealed a severe stricture at the ureteropelvic junction, and it was considered difficult to advance a guidewire through the stricture. Urine cytologywas pseudo-positive ; thus, the possibilityof a malignant tumor of the urinarytract could not be ruled out. Therefore, right nephroureterectomywas performed. The final, histopathological diagnosis was urothelial carcinoma, (G2, pT3). After surgery, the signs and symptoms of the infection were rapidlyameliorated ; however, swelling of the lymph-nodes between the aorta and vena cava was observed, which was considered to be metastasis. Therefore, 4 courses of gemcitabine ＋cisplatin therapywere administered, which resulted in complete resolution of the lymph-node swelling. The patient has remained free of recurrence for 2 years after surgery.

A 84-year-old female visited our hospital with the chief complaint of asymptomatic gross hematuria. The computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large invasive tumor in the right renal pelvis. Metastatic workup was negative. On imaging studies and voided urine cytology, diagnosis of right renal pelvic cancer (cT3N0M0) was made. Laparoscopic right nephroureterectomy was performed. Histopathological examinations revealed a small cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. The patient declined adjuvant chemotherapy and died 5 months after surgery. Primary small cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis is a rare disease. To our knowledge, this is the 29th case of primary small cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis in the world literature.

A man in his 70s was referred to our hospital for further examination of a positive occult blood finding. Imaging studies showed that the patient had right renal pelvic cancer with interaortocaval, multiple paracaval and left supraclavicular lymph node metastases (cT3N2Ml). Induction chemotherapy was performed with 5 cycles of MEC (methotrexate/epirubicin/cisplatin) followed by 2 cycles of GT (gemcitabine/paclitaxel). After the combined chemotherapies, the residual lesions were the primary tumor in the right renal pelvis and the left supraclavicular lymph node. Right total nephroureterectomy combined with lymph node dissection of paraaortic, paracaval, and interaortocaval area and left cervical area were performed. Histopathologically the postoperative T stage of the primary tumor was determined as ypT3. As for lymph nodes dissected, an interaortocaval lymph node alone, but not the other nodes, contained viable cancer cells. Adjuvant chemotherapy was performed with 7 courses of GT therapy. The patient had intravesical recurrence once and received transurethral resection of bladder tumor followed by intravesical instillations of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). Finally, the patient has been free from recurrence for 10 years after the final treatment.

An 83-year-old Japanese man had a history of chronic heart failure due to bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome. He was admitted to our hospital because of macrohematuria and acute kidney injury (AKI), which were detected by an urologist at an outpatient visit. He had a history of recurrent macrohematuria and transurethral resection of bladder tumors twice in the preceding 2 years. He had been on warfarin for 12 years, with a stable international normalized ratio (INR) that was usually less than 2.1. Urinalysis revealed numerous red blood cells (RBCs) and mild proteinuria without RBC casts. His serum creatinine level was elevated to 2.41 mg/dL from 0.96 mg/dL at 3 weeks before admission. INR was 1.44. Hydronephrosis was not observed. Ureteroscopy detected invasive urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis, and right laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was performed at 41 days after diagnosis of AKI. The background renal parenchyma displayed tubular obstruction by red blood cell casts and acute tubular injury, which were changes compatible with warfarin-related nephropathy (WRN). Warfarin was discontinued, and the serum creatinine level recovered to 1.66 mg/dL after 3 months. In the present patient with nephrosclerosis, WRN occurred at a therapeutic INR level after 12 years of uneventful warfarin therapy, and the coexisting urothelial malignancy was a unique feature.

We report a case of renal pelvic cancer found after left renal trauma. A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of gross hematuria after he had fallen down the stairs two days earlier. He had asymptomatic severe anemia (Hb : 3. 6 g/dl). Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed bilateral ureteropelvic stones, bilateral severe hydronephrosis and hematoma of the left upper renal pelvis. We diagnosed him with left renal pelvic hemorrhage by trauma, and transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was performed. After TAE, gross hematuria improved, but some hematuria continued to be noted. We suspected malignancy, and examined the patient with contrast-enhanced CT, transurethral resection and retrograde pyelography combined with urine cytology in the upper urinary tract, all with no evidence of malignancy. However, four months after the left renal injury, follow-up CT revealed multiple metastatic lesions. We performed a left nephrectomy, and the resulting pathological diagnosis was invasive urothelial carcinoma with squamous differentiation of the renal pelvis. We performed 7 courses of chemotherapy, but the multiple metastatic lesions progressed, and he died of the disease 19 months after the operation.

A 71-year-old man was referred to us with a right renal mass that was discovered by computed tomography (CT) examination for acquired hemophilia and leukemoid reaction. He presented with persistent low-grade fever and purpura on the lower legs caused by acquired hemophilia. Contrastenhanced CT scan showed a right renal tumor 6.0×7.4 cm in diameterwith inhomogeneous enhancement. The result of his urine cytology was negative. After improvement of his coagulation by treatment with immunosuppressants and steroids, he underwent open nephrectomy. Histology of renal tissue revealed urothelial carcinoma (G3, pT4, N1). After surgery, his complete blood counts and coagulation improved without administration of immunosuppressants and steroids. Therefore, he was diagnosed with renal pelvic cancer with acquired hemophilia and leukemoid reaction.

Background Metastatic renal cancers are relatively common. Most are metastases to the renal parenchyma via a hematogenous route and are derived from lung, breast, and gastrointestinal cancer, malignant melanoma, and hematologic malignant cancer. However, little is known about renal capsule metastasis from other cancers. Case presentation We report a 71-year-old woman with breast cancer who was treated with endocrine therapy. She presented with gross hematuria and was diagnosed as having right renal pelvic cancer and renal cell cancer. She underwent right laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy. Pathological findings revealed right pelvic cancer and renal capsule metastasis. Conclusion Renal capsule metastasis derived from renal pelvic cancer is very rare. When diagnosing renal capsule cancer, we believe that renal capsule metastasis should also be taken into consideration. Clinical and radiological differential diagnosis of renal capsule metastasis from renal cell cancer and primary renal capsule cancer is difficult. Assessment of the histopathological findings of the surgical specimens seems to be the only realistic approach to achieving the correct diagnosis.

A 47-year-old woman who was diagnosed with right pyelonephritis by a local physician, but failed to respond to antimicrobial chemotherapy, was referred to our hospital. Here, the diagnosis of right pyonephrosis was confirmed byabdominal computed tomography(CT). Retrograde pyelography(RP) revealed a severe stricture at the ureteropelvic junction, and it was considered difficult to advance a guidewire through the stricture. Urine cytologywas pseudo-positive ; thus, the possibilityof a malignant tumor of the urinarytract could not be ruled out. Therefore, right nephroureterectomywas performed. The final, histopathological diagnosis was urothelial carcinoma, (G2, pT3). After surgery, the signs and symptoms of the infection were rapidlyameliorated ; however, swelling of the lymph-nodes between the aorta and vena cava was observed, which was considered to be metastasis. Therefore, 4 courses of gemcitabine ＋cisplatin therapywere administered, which resulted in complete resolution of the lymph-node swelling. The patient has remained free of recurrence for 2 years after surgery.

Perirenal urine extravasation, also known as urinoma, occurs usually after renal trauma. Spontaneous urinoma is a very rare pathology in daily urology practice. The patients with spontaneous urinoma usually present with flank pain, and radiologic imagings confirm the diagnosis. Ultrasonography, intravenous urography, and computed tomography are the radiologic modalites for the diagnosis. We report a case of spontaneous urinoma in a patient with renal pelvic tumor.

The patient was a 60 year-old male who first visited a doctor because of back pain on the right side in May 2003. As a result of thorough examination, he was diagnosed with right renal pelvic cancer (cT4, N2, M1), and was referred to our department for treatment. In spite of systemic chemotherapy and radiation therapy in combination with cisplatinum on the primary tumor were performed from May 2003 to December 2005, the number and size of hepatic metastases increased. Consequently, considering hepatic metastasis as the specific prognosis factor, the patient was given a total of 14 cycles of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) from January to October 2006. As a result, the hepatic metastases completely disappeared. Then HAIC was tentatively discontinued and the patient was followed up. However, as new lung metastases were found by CT in March 2007, radiation therapy was performed on the lung metastases. As hepatic metastasis was recognized again by CT in April 2007, HAIC was resumed and the patient was given a total of 6 cycles starting from May 2007. During that period, two transurethral resection of bladder tumor were performed against the recurrence within the bladder while transarterial embolization was performed against the bleeding in the right kidney. The patient was regarded as a long-term survivor surviving for about five years after his initial consultation.

We report a case of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)-producing squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. A 71‒year-old woman presented with gross hematuria and leucocytosis of 21, 300/mm3 (neutrophil : 86%) in the peripheral blood, but with no focus of infection. Right renal pelvic mass was found at a nearby hospital and she was referred to our hospital for examination and treatment. We performed right nephroureterectomy for a right renal pelvic tumor. Hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis and tumor cells stained strongly positive for G-CSF. According to these histopathological findings, we diagnosed this case as G-CSF-producing squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. She is presently alive without any new recurrent lesions for 12 months.

A 58-year-old man with a chief complaint of exertional dyspnea was admitted to our hospital. One year earlier, he had visited another hospital for the evaluation of gross hematuria, and had undergone right nephro-ureterectomy with a diagnosis of right renal pelvic cancer. Blood chemistry revealed an elevated level of carcinoembryogenic antigen (CEA) (134.5 ng/ml). Computed tomographic scans showed multiple metastases to the liver and sternum. No primary lesion was detected, and immuno-histochemical findings of the specimen were CEA-positive. Thus, we diagnosed this case as CEA-producing renal pelvic cancer. Chemotherapy was ineffective. The patient committed suicide 10 months after admission., 58歳男。肉眼的血尿の増悪を自覚し、近医で右腎盂癌、膀胱癌と診断され、膀胱腫瘍切除、右腎尿管全摘除術を受けた。その後、膀胱内再発に対して2度腫瘍切除術を受けた。肝転移等も認められたが、受診を自己中断していた。労作時呼吸困難を主訴に救急外来を受診し、僧帽弁閉鎖不全症と診断され入院した。その際のCTで、胸骨転移、多発性肝転移、多発性腰椎転移、大動静脈間および傍大動脈リンパ節転移が認められた。CEAの異常高値を認め、当初他臓器癌との重複癌を疑い、上部、下部消化管、甲状腺に対して検査を行ったが異常を認めなかった。そこで、CEA産生尿路上皮癌を疑ってCEA染色を行った結果、腫瘍部分に一致して陽性を示した。CEA産生腎盂尿路上皮癌の術後多臓器転移と診断し、MEC化学療法を開始した。MEC化学療法は無効であったが、GT化学療法に変更したところ一時的に反応を示した。疼痛はコントロールされ、発熱、著明な食欲不振等は認めていなかったが、入院10ヵ月目に自殺した。

In May and September, 2002, 14 private residential drinking water wells, one dewatering well at a lignite mine, eight surface water sites, and lignite from an active coal mine were sampled in five Parishes of northwestern Louisiana, USA. Using a geographic information system (GIS), wells were selected that were likely to draw water that had been in contact with lignite; control wells were located in areas devoid of lignite deposits. Well water samples were analyzed for pH, conductivity, organic compounds, and nutrient and anion concentrations. All samples were further tested for presence of fungi (cultures maintained for up to 28 days and colonies counted and identified microscopically) and for metal and trace element concentration by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry and atomic emission spectrometry. Surface water samples were tested for dissolved oxygen and presence of pathogenic leptospiral bacteria. The Spearman correlation method was used to assess the association between the endpoints for these field/laboratory analyses and incidence of cancer of the renal pelvis (RPC) based on data obtained from the Louisiana Tumor Registry for the five Parishes included in the study. Significant associations were revealed between the cancer rate and the presence in drinking water of organic compounds, the fungi Zygomycetes, the nutrients PO(4) and NH(3), and 13 chemical elements. Presence of human pathogenic leptospires was detected in four out of eight (50%) of the surface water sites sampled. The present study of a stable rural population examined possible linkages between aquifers containing chemically reactive lignite deposits, hydrologic conditions favorable to the leaching and transport of toxic organic compounds from the lignite into the groundwater, possible microbial contamination, and RPC risk.

Background Immunoglobulin G4–related disease (IgG4-RD) is a new clinical entity. Characteristic features of IgG4-RD are elevated serum IgG4 levels, infiltration of IgG4-positive cells, mass-forming lesions with fibrosis and good response to corticosteroids. The variable imaging features of IgG4-RD and the overlap with other differential diagnoses often pose a diagnostic challenge, as they frequently mimic malignant tumors or other inflammatory diseases in the abdomen. Case presentation A 54-year-old woman visited our hospital with left flank discomfort and palpebral edema. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, retrograde pyelography and positron emission tomography/computed tomography indicated renal pelvic cancer. However, after a left-sided nephroureteral cystectomy was performed, the mass was pathologically confirmed as an IgG4-related lesion. Her elevated serum IgG4 level and a past history of sicca complex supported the diagnosis of IgG4-RD. Conclusions It is critical to recognize the importance of laboratory examinations such as serum IgG4 level if a patient has a past history of rheumatic disease.

65歳男.右側腹部痛, 発熱を主訴とした.腹部CTで右腎膿瘍を指摘され, 5ヵ月間経過観察後, 腎悪性腫瘍を疑われ紹介入院となった.画像診断より下大静脈腫瘍塞栓を伴った右腎細胞癌と診断し根治的右腎摘除術, 下大静脈腫瘍塞栓摘除術およびCTにて指摘されていた部位のリンパ節摘除術を施行した.摘除標本は1380g, 腎実質は殆ど認めず腫瘍により占拠され, 腎盂構造は腫瘍により形態をとどめていなかった.病理診断はTCC, G3, pT3, pN2であった.術後腎盂腫瘍診断のためM-VACを補助化学療法として行った.施行中に腎機能の低下による肺水腫および白血球低下により誘発されたと思われる肺炎によりDICとなり, 全身状態の悪化のため, 化学療法は1コースで終了した.術後4ヵ月目のSCC 3ng/ml, IAP 211μg/mlと改善を示した.その後4年8ヵ月経過した現在, 腹部および胸部に再発は認めていない, We report a case of right renal pelvic cancer with tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava. A 65-year-old man with right flank abdominal pain and high fever was reffered to our hospital. Computed tomography showed right renal mass. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed tumor thrombus extending into the renal vein and the inferior vena cava. Preoperative diagnosis was renal cell carcinoma with vena caval thrombus. Radical nephrectomy with thrombectomy and lymphodenectomy was performed. Pathologic evaluation revealed transitional cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus into the vena cava. One course of M-VAC chemotherapy was added and he has been alive for 56 months without recurrence. A literature review of 15 cases of renal pelvic cancer with tumor thrombus in the vena cava in Japan revealed that 7 cases were diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma preoperatively.

A case of left renal pelvic cancer with a high level of serum CA19-9 is reported. Radiological examination showed a left renal pelvic cancer with lymph node metastasis, but did not reveal any tumors producing CA19-9 in any other organs. Chemotherapy was performed in addition to left total nephroureterectomy. The serum level of CA19-9 decreased to the normal range within three weeks after the operation. Immunohistochemical examination demonstrated that CA19-9 might have been produced from the tumor cells themselves in this case.