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Targeted therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treatment requires the identification of clinically important factors that can predict the therapeutic effect. We retrospectively investigated the prognostic roles of pre-treatment sarcopenia and relative dose intensity during the initial two cycles (2c-RDI) of sunitinib treatment in patients with mRCC. In total, 41 (52.6%) patients were classified as having sarcopenia and 16 (20.5%) patients were classified with low 2c-RDI at75%. The mean dose reduction during sunitinib treatment was higher for sarcopenic than for non-sarcopenic patients. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were significantly shorter in sarcopenic patients with low 2c-RDI (n = 14, 17.9%) than in non-sarcopenic patients with high 2c-RDI (n = 35, 44.9%). Multivariate analysis identified sarcopenia and low 2c-RDI as poor prognostic factors for PFS and OS. Our findings provide new insights into the prognostic role of sarcopenia and 2c-RDI for targeted therapy in mRCC.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Sepsis or acute pyelonephritis (APN) caused by obstructing ureteral calculi can have serious consequences, resulting in inpatient hospitalization or intensive care unit a...

Androgen receptors (ARs) are expressed on a variety of cell types, and AR signaling plays an important role in tumor development and progression in several cancers. This in vitro study evaluated the effect of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on the proliferation of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells in relation to AR status. Steroid hormone receptor expression was evaluated using RT-PCR and Western blotting. The effect of DHT on cell proliferation and STAT5 phosphorylation was evaluated in RCC cell lines (Caki-2, A498, and SN12C) and primary RCC cells using cell viability assays and Western blotting. ARs and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) were knocked down with small interfering RNAs before assessing changes in cell proliferation and STAT5 activation. DHT treatment promoted cell proliferation and increased STAT5 phosphorylation regardless of AR status. The AR antagonist bicalutamide reduced kidney cancer cell proliferation, regardless of AR status. AR and GR knockdown blocked STAT5 activation and reduced cell proliferation in all RCC cell lines. In patient-derived primary cells, DHT enhanced cell proliferation and this effect was diminished by treatment with the AR antagonists bicalutamide and enzalutamide and the GR antagonist mifepristone. DHT promotes cell proliferation through STAT5 activation in RCC cells, regardless of AR status. DHT appears to utilize the AR and GR pathways to activate STAT5, and the inhibition of AR and GR showed antitumor activity in RCC cells. These data suggest that targeting AR and GR may be a promising new approach to the treatment of RCC.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is the gold standard treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) surgery. However, due to the continued technologic dev...

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between pre-operative donor split renal function (SRF) and the renal function outcome of donors and recipients after kidney transplantation (KT). Methods A total of 217 living KT cases were investigated. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) change of recipients and donors, as well as graft survival, were analyzed based on the donor SRF. The difference in SRF (dSRF) in a donor was defined as follows: the SRF of the donated kidney minus the SRF of the remaining kidney determined by pre-operative 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid in the donors. The dSRF was categorized into tertiles. Results The dSRF was not associated with the eGFR in recipients in any tertile at 6 or 12 months post-KT. The overall graft and patient survival did not differ significantly among tertiles. Donors in the high tertile, who donated kidneys with a higher SRF, showed a greater reduction in eGFR than did donors in the low and middle tertile after adjustment for function of the not-donated kidney (−34 ± 1.9 vs −28 ± 2.2, and −27 ± 1.3 mL/min/1.73 m2, P Conclusions The dSRF did not affect the post-KT renal function or graft survival in recipients. However, the donors who donated the better functioning kidney had a poorer renal function after donation.

Objectives Most previous studies have failed to show a relation between daytime sleepiness and apnoea severity in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). We determined the relation between daytime sleepiness and subjective and objective apnoea severity in newly diagnosed patients with moderate-to-severe OSA. Design Retrospective cross-sectional study. Setting Tertiary referral centre. Participants A total of 559 adults with newly diagnosed moderate and severe OSA. Main outcome measures Daytime sleepiness was evaluated using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Subjective and objective apnoea severities were assessed using the Sleep Breathing Scale (SBS) and polysomnography respectively. Sleep quality and depressive symptoms were evaluated using Medical Outcomes Study-Sleep Scale and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) respectively. Results The mean ESS score was 9.8 (SD 5.0). ESS score was correlated with SBS score (P < 0.001), apnoea−hypopnoea index (AHI) (P = 0.027), minimal oxygen saturation (MinSaO2) (P = 0.021), body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.007) and BDI score (P < 0.001). Linear regression analysis showed that higher SBS (P = 0.005) and BDI scores (P < 0.001) were associated with higher ESS score after controlling for gender, BMI and AHI. Apnoea−hypopnoea index, MinSaO2 and BMI were not independently related to ESS score. Conclusions Daytime sleepiness was related to subjective OSA symptoms but not objective apnoea severity measured by polysomnography in patients with moderate-to-severe OSA. These findings suggest the usefulness of the subjective apnoea severity as an indicator of OSA disease severity.

Purpose: To evaluate the characteristics of patients who received primary androgen deprivation therapy (PADT) for prostate cancer and the clinical efficacy of this treatment. Materials and Methods: Two hundred forty patients treated by PADT were reviewed. These patients could not receive definitive therapy owing to old age, patient need, and medical comorbidity. The patients were divided into three groups according to the extent of prostate cancer: localized, locally advanced, and metastatic. Then, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression in these groups was analyzed. Results: The median age of the patients was 73.0 years, and the median pretreatment PSA level was 47.0 ng/mL. Of the patients, 91.7% were treated with combined androgen blockade, and 8.3% were treated with monotherapy. Clinical factors for PSA progression were a PSA nadir and a high clinical stage. Estimated PSA recurrence-free median survival time in each group was 57, 24, and 12 months, respectively. A PSA nadir of ＞0.2 ng/mL and metastatic stage were independent factors for expecting a poor response to PADT (hazard ratio 4.26, p＜0.001; and 2.60, p＜0.001). Conclusions: Patients with localized or locally advanced prostate cancer who did not receive definitive therapy had lower PSA progression rates than those at metastatic stage during PADT. Further, a PSA nadir of ≤0.2 ng/mL showed better progression-free survival. Therefore, PADT can be another therapeutic option in well-selected patients with localized or locally advanced prostate cancer and PSA change should be checked carefully.

Background To evaluate the relationship between postoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy, especially in patients with positive surgical margins (PSMs). Materials and methods A total of 144 patients who underwent radical prostatectomies performed by a single surgeon without any neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment were analyzed. Differences in clinicopathological factors were compared by surgical margin status, and the relationship between postoperative PSA level and BCR in patients with PSMs was evaluated. Results Fifty of the 144 patients (34.7%) had PSMs. Of these, 74% experienced BCR. The negative surgical margins and PSMs groups differed significantly in terms of PSA level at diagnosis, clinical T stage, and risk group by the cancer of the prostate risk assessment score (P = 0.002, P = 0.002, and P = 0.004, respectively). Also, the nadir PSA level, tumor volume, and BCR rate differed between the two groups (P = 0.007, P = 0.015, and P = 0.005, respectively) On Kaplan–Meier analysis, BCR-free survival was better in the negative surgical margins than the PSMs group (64.1 vs. 55.4 months, log-rank test, P = 0.011). BCR-free survival did not differ significantly in PSMs patients according to whether PSA level was or was not detectable at 1 month postoperatively. However, BCR-free survival improved when the nadir PSA level was undetectable (compared to detectable) in PSMs patients (64.3 vs. 26.1 months, log-rank test, P 6 months, postoperatively (64.2 vs. 29.5 months, log-rank test, P = 0.022). Conclusion If PSA is detectable in PSMs patients until 1 month after operation, cautious observation may be possible. If the nadir is attained within 3 months postoperatively in high-risk patients with PSMs, better BCR-free survival may be expected.

Background: Although the PSA test has been used in Korea for over 20 years, the incidence of prostate cancer has risen, and the associated mortality has increased about 13-fold over the 20-year period. Also, several investigators have suggested that Asians in America are more likely to present with more advanced prostate cancer than Caucasians. We compared the characteristics of native Koreans and Americans (Caucasians and AfricanAmericans) undergoing radical prostatectomies in Korea and the US. Materials and Methods: Study subjects comprised patients at Korean and US hospitals from 2004 to 2012 who had undergone radical prostatectomies. We compared the characteristics of the subjects, including age, preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, body mass index (BMI), Gleason score, and pathological T stage. Results: In total, 1,159 males (502 Koreans, 657 Americans) were included. The Korean and American patients had mean ages of 67.1±6.6 and 59.2±6.7 years, respectively. The mean preoperative PSAs were 15.4±17.9 and 6.2±4.6 ng/mL (p=0.0001) and the mean BMIs were 23.6±2.6 and 28.7±4.4 kg/m 2 (p=0.0001), respectively. Pathological localized prostate cancer represented 71.7% of cases for Koreans and 77.6% for Americans (p=0.07). According to age, Koreans had higher T stages than Americans in their 50s (p=0.021) and higher Gleason scores than Americans in all age groups. According to PSA, Koreans had higher Gleason scores than Americans for PSA >10 ng/mL (p

To directly compare the outcome of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) with robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) performed by a single laparoscopic surgeon with intermediate experience-one who is between a novice and an expert.Consecutive 106 patients with prostate cancer who were treated with radical prostatectomy (62 with LRP and 44 with RALP) were included. The preoperative characteristics, the perioperative surgical outcomes, and the functional outcomes were compared between the two groups.The mean operative time was longer in the RALP group (371 min vs 308 min, P = 0.00), conceivably because of more nerve-sparing procedures (84% vs 57%). The other perioperative parameters, including the surgical margin, were comparable, except for two major complications (rectourethral fistula and ureteral injury) in the LRP group. The RALP group recovered continence faster than those in the LRP, but the eventual continence rate at 12 months was similar (95% for LRP vs 94.4% for RALP, P = 1.00). The potency rate ≥ 6 months postsurgery was 47.6% in the LRP group and 54.5% in the RALP group (P = 0.65).RALP was beneficial for the earlier recovery of continence, although LRP and RALP had comparable safety and efficacy as minimally invasive surgery for prostate cancer when performed by a laparoscopic surgeon with intermediate experience. Long-term follow-up data are needed for further evaluation of oncologic and functional outcomes for both techniques.

Objective To evaluate the detection rate and pathology of cancer in Korean men with low levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), 2.5-4.0 ng/mL. Methods We examined 1097 patients with PSA level of 2.5-10.0 ng/mL, who underwent transrectal ultrasonography-guided prostate needle biopsies between January 2008 and March 2009. Of the 1097 biopsy patients, 815 met our criteria of benign findings by digital rectal examination and the absence of cancerous lesions by TRUS. Clinical characteristics and detection rates of prostate cancer, as well as the pathology of specimens obtained by needle biopsies and prostatectomies, were evaluated in these patients. Results Of the 815 patients, 349 had group 1 (PSA level, 2.5-4.0 ng/mL) and 466 had group 2 (PSA level, 4.0-10.0 ng/mL). The percentage of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer was not statistically different between the 2 groups (21.8% in group 1, and 20.2% in group 2). In group 1, 70.7% of patients had a pathologic Gleason score of 7 or higher and 91.4% had organ-confined tumors (pT2). The pathologic characteristics, including Gleason score, pathologic stage, and percentage of insignificant cancer were similar in prostatectomy specimens between group 1 and group 2. Conclusions Detection rates of nonpalpable prostate cancer in Korean men were 21.8% in group 1 and 20.2% in group 2 without statistically significant difference. Pathologic characteristics of prostatectomy specimens also were similar between group 1 and group 2. These results suggest that a lower PSA level might be considered as an indication for prostate biopsy.

status, pathological stage, pathological Gleason score (pGS), number of removed nodes (#RN), number of positive nodes (#PN), adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) status, and adjuvant hormonal therapy (aHT) status. RESULTS: Mean (median) PSA at surgery was 13.6 (8.1) ng/ ml. Mean (median) #RN and #PN were 13.9 (13) and 1.9 (1) nodes, respectively. Most had pGS 8-10 (59.8%), and pT3b/pT4 disease (58.9%). Positive SMs were observed in 50.2%. Overall, 28.2% and 12% received aRT and aHT, respectively. Mean (median) follow-up time was 34.9 (31.4) months. At 5-years, the BCRand CR-free survival rates were 27%, and 81%, respectively. At multivariable analysis, pGS 8-10 (HR: 2.2), #NR (HR: 0.96), and aRT use (HR: 0.50) were the only independent predictors of BCR rate (all p 0.01). Likewise, pre-op PSA (HR: 1.02), pT3b/pT4 disease (HR: 4.1), and aRT use (HR: 0.21) were the only independent predictors of CR rate (all p 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings represent the first report of cancer control outcome in pN1 patients treated with RALP. They show a relatively unfavorable BCR rate at 5-years, probably due to low utilization of adjuvant treatments in our cohort. These unfavorable BCR outcomes were not confirmed by CR outcomes. The latter were favorable, and showed 80% remain disease free at 5 years. Removing more nodes appears to be associated with more favorable BCR rate, but not CR rate. Interestingly, the use of aRT improved both BCR rate, and CR rate. Thus, aRT should be considered.

18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) scans are commonly used for the staging and restaging of various malignancies, such as head and neck, breast, colorectal and gynecological cancers. However, the value of FDG PET/CT for detecting prostate cancer is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of incidental prostate 18F-FDG uptake on PET/CT scans. We reviewed 18F-FDG PET/CT scan reports from September 2009 to September 2013, and selected cases that reported focal/diffuse FDG uptake in the prostate. We analyzed the correlation between 18F-FDG PET/CT scan findings and data collected during evaluations such as serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, digital rectal examination (DRE), transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), and/or biopsy to confirm prostate cancer. Of a total of 18,393 cases, 106 (0.6%) exhibited abnormal hypermetabolism in the prostate. Additional evaluations were performed in 66 patients. Serum PSA levels were not significantly correlated with maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) in all patients (rho 0.483, p=0.132). Prostate biopsies were performed in 15 patients, and prostate cancer was confirmed in 11. The median serum PSA level was 4.8 (0.55-7.06) ng/mL and 127.4 (1.06-495) ng/mL in the benign and prostate cancer groups, respectively. The median SUVmax was higher in the prostate cancer group (mean 10.1, range 3.8-24.5) than in the benign group (mean 4.3, range 3.1-8.8), but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.078). There was no significant correlation between SUVmax and serum PSA, prostatic volume, or Gleason score. 18F-FDG PET/CT scans did not reliably differentiate malignant or benign from abnormal uptake lesions in the prostate, and routine prostate biopsy was not usually recommended in patients with abnormal FDG uptake. Nevertheless, patients with incidental prostate uptake on 18F-FDG PET/ CT scans should not be ignored and should be undergo further clinical evaluations, such as PSA and DRE.

Purpose: To investigate the relationships among the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, androgen receptor (AR), and clinicopathological factors in hormone-naive prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted with132 cases of hormone-naive prostate cancer treated by prostatectomy and prostate needle biopsy. An immunohistochemical study using antibodies against β-catenin, matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), and the AR was performed. For the in vitro study, PC-3, LNCaP, 22Rv1, and DU145 cell lines were used. Results: The clinical or pathological stage ware a localized cancer in 36 patients (27.3%), locally advanced cancer in 31 (23.5%), and metastatic cancer in 65 (49.2%). We detected increased β-catenin, AR, and MMP-7 expression with a high Gleason grade, disease progression, and increasing serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (p＜0.01). In Spearman’s rank correlations, the expression of cytoplasmic β-catenin, MMP-7, and the AR were found to be significantly positively correlated. In addition, the expression of β-catenin, MMP-7, and the AR were significantly correlated with clinicopathological variables indicative of a poor prognosis. Forty-nine patients with primary androgen deprivation had short response durations from hormone therapy to PSA progression with elevated MMP-7 expression on the Kaplan-Meier curve (p=0.0036). Conclusions: These data show that an activated Wnt/β-catenin pathway and AR expression in prostate cancer are correlated with metastasis and aggressiveness. In addition, the expression of MMP-7 protein, a target of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, is associated with PSA progression in prostate cancer patients undergoing primary hormone therapy.

a 1.5-T whole body MR scanner using a balloon-design endorectal coil. The MRI protocol consisted in a routine T1, Gadolinium-enhanced T1 and T2 weighted sequences. Images were obtained in three orthogonal planes and 3-mm slice thickness. The readers sorted the tumors as: iT2, iT3a, iT3b, and iT4 tumors. All patients underwent a preoperative pelvic MRI followed by a RP. After the RP, final pathological staging (pTNM); were compared to the MRI findings (iTNM). MRI performance for local staging of PCa was evaluated Sensitivity (Se), specificity (SP), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy for cancer detection were calculated. RESULTS: The mean age and the serum PSA level of the study population were 62 (range: 41-78) years old and 9.78 (range: 0.9-118) ng/ml respectively. Of all, 750 (59%) patients had an organ confined tumor. The (95% IC) MRI sensitivity (Se), specificity (SP), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy to predict an organ confined disease, extra-capsular extension, and seminal vesicle extension are shown in table 1. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that routine MRI predicts extra capsular disease with better specificity and a better negative predictive value. Therefore, it is more valuable for the clinician when it is negative. This imaging should be more investigated and standardized in order to improve its prediction power.

Current guidelines recommend routine second transurethral resection (TUR) for accurate diagnosis and to prevent understaging of muscle-invasive bladder cancer. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of immediate second resection of the tumor bed during initial TUR and its prognostic significance.Patients (n=126) undergoing TUR were prospectively randomized to undergo (n=63) or not undergo (n=63) immediate second resection of the tumor bed after complete TUR. Second resection was repeated until muscularis propria (MP) was identified in the specimen and the depth of tumor invasion was inspected. The results of second resection were compared with final pathology results for diagnostic accuracy. Recurrence and progression rates were compared in the two groups, and factors affecting recurrence were evaluated.Patient age, sex distribution, number of tumors, pathologic T stage and grade were similar in the groups. MP was included in all TUR specimens in the immediate second resection group, compared with 41 of 63 (65.1%) in the nonsecond resection group. The concordance rate of second resection with final pathology was r=0.810 (P0.01). The sensitivity and specificity of second resection for T(2) disease were 90.9% and 98.0%, respectively, and the positive and negative predictive values of second resection for T(2) disease were 90.0% and 96.2%, respectively. Among the 94 patients followed up, those in the second resection group had significantly higher 2-year recurrence-free survival rate (77.0% vs 45.8%, P=0.025), but there was no difference in progression-free survival rate.Immediate second resection of the tumor bed after complete TUR improves the effectiveness of resection by immediately confirming the presence of MP in the specimen and accurately differentiating muscle-invasive disease. The advantages of immediate second resection were precise prediction of final pathology results and reduced early recurrence.

Background Early studies reported comparative results of functional outcomes between robot-assisted (RARP) and retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP). However, well-controlled single-surgeon prospective studies comparing the outcomes are rare. Objective To compare functional outcomes after RARP and RRP performed by a single surgeon, and to identify factors predictive of early return of continence and potency. Design, setting, and participants A total of 763 consecutive patients undergoing RP between 2007 and 2010 were prospectively included and serially followed postoperatively for comparative analysis. Intervention RARP was performed in 528 patients, and 235 underwent RRP. Measurements Continence was defined as being completely pad free. Potency was defined as having erection sufficient for intercourse with or without a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor. Continence and potency recovery were checked serially by interview and questionnaire at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 mo postoperatively. Cox proportional hazards method analyses was performed to determine predictive factors for early recovery. Results and limitations After the initial 132 cases, patients who underwent RARP demonstrated faster recovery of urinary continence compared to RRP patients. Potency recovery was more rapid in the RARP group at all evaluation time points, beginning from the initial cases. In multivariate analysis, younger age and longer preoperative membranous urethral length seen by prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated statistical significance as independent prognostic factors for continence recovery; younger age, surgical method (RARP vs RRP), and higher preoperative serum testosterone were independent prognostic factors for potency recovery. The limitations of the present study were that it was nonrandomized and used interview to evaluate potency recovery. Conclusions Patients after RARP demonstrated superior functional recovery. Moreover, membranous urethral length on preoperative MRI and patient age were factors independently predictive of continence recovery, while patient age and higher preoperative serum testosterone were independent prognostic factors for potency recovery.

Components of metabolic syndrome have been associated with kidney stone disease, but little evidence is available to support a relationship between metabolic syndrome and kidney stone development in healthy large screened populations.Cross-sectional analysis.Data were obtained from 34,895 individuals who underwent general health screening tests between January 2006 and December 2006 at the Asan Medical Center.Metabolic syndrome was defined according to criteria established by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III, American Heart Association, and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.The presence of kidney stones was evaluated using computed tomography or ultrasonography.Of all those screened, 839 (2.4%) had radiologic evidence of kidney stones and metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 4,779 (13.7%). The multivariable-adjusted OR for kidney stones increased with an increasing quintile of waist circumference and systolic/diastolic blood pressure (P0.001). Age, sex, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome status were independent risk factors for kidney stones. The presence of metabolic syndrome had an OR of 1.25 (95% CI, 1.03-1.50) for kidney stone prevalence. In participants with hypertension, the OR for the presence of kidney stones was 1.47 (95% CI, 1.25-1.71) compared with that for participants without hypertension after adjustment for other variables.Cross-sectional design, absence of stone composition.Metabolic syndrome is associated with a significantly increased risk of kidney stone development. Our findings suggest the need for interventional studies to test the effects of preventing and treating metabolic syndrome on the risk of kidney stone development.

The University of California, San Francisco, announced in 2011 Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment Postsurgical (CAPRA-S) score which included pathologic data, but there were no results for comparing preoperative predictors with the CAPRA-S score. We evaluated the validation of the CAPRA-S score in our institution and compare the result with the preoperative progression predictor, CAPRA score. Data of 130 patients were reviewed who underwent radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer from 2008 to 2013. Performance of CAPRA-S score in predicting progression free probabilities was assessed through Kaplan Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression test. Additionally, prediction probability was compared with preoperative CAPRA score by logistic regression analysis. Comparing CAPRA score, the CAPRA-S score showed improved prediction ability for 5 yr progression free survival (concordance index 0.80, P = 0.04). After risk group stratification, 3 group model of CAPRA-S was superior than 3 group model of CAPRA for 3-yr progression free survival and 5-yr progression free survival (concordance index 0.74 vs. 0.70, 0.77 vs. 0.71, P < 0.001). Finally the CAPRA-S score was the more ideal predictor concerned with adjuvant therapy than the CAPRA score through decision curve analysis. The CPARA-S score is a useful predictor for disease progression after radical prostatectomy. Graphical Abstract

Purpose: The survival benefits of adjuvant androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) in prostate cancer and lymph node metastasis remain unclear. We assessed the role of ADT in disease progression after radical prostatectomy (RP). Materials and Methods: Of 937 patients who underwent RP, we identified 40 (4.2%) who had lymph node metastasis. A total of 18 received adjuvant ADT (ADT group) and 22 were observed (observation group). Clinical progression-free survival (PFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) were compared in the 2 groups. Prognostic factors for clinical progression and biochemical recurrence (BCR) were analyzed. Results: The 5-year PFS, CSS, and OS of the entire cohort were 75.0%, 85.0%, and 72.5%, respectively. In the ADT group, 6 patients (33.3%) showed clinical progression at a median 42.7 months. The 5-year PFS, CSS, and OS rates of this group were 72.2%, 83.3%, and 72.2%, respectively. In the observation group, 14 patients (63.6%) received salvage therapy owing to BCR. Nine patients (40.9%) with BCR in the observation group showed clinical progression at a median 43.4 months after RP. The 5-year PFS, CSS, and OS rates of this group were 77.2%, 86.4%, and 72.8%, respectively. In the observation group, the BCR rate was lower in patients with pT3a or less disease than in those with pT3b disease. Conclusions: Adjuvant ADT in node-positive prostate cancer did not reduce or delay disease progression or improve survival. Because a substantial number of untreated patients with pT3a or less disease did not experience recurrence, administration of ADT should be initiated carefully. However, in patients with pT3b disease, adjuvant ADT and radiotherapy could be considered.

Purpose: We wanted to investigate the effect of dominant kidney nephrectomy on the postoperative renal function and we wanted to determine the preoperative risk factors that influence the postoperative renal function in living donor nephrectomy. Materials and Methods: A total of 297 living kidney donors (159 males and 138 females) who underwent nephrectomy were included in this study. Renal function was measured by the serum creatinine levels and Tc-diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) renal scanning. Using univariate and multivariate analyses, the following independent variables were evaluated to predict a postoperative serum creatinine level 1.5mg/dl or higher: removal of a functionally dominant kidney or a larger kidney according to the DTPA renal scan or CT, age, gender, body mass index (BMI), comorbidity, preoperative serum creatinine and the preoperative glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Results: Of the 297 subjects, 134 (55%) underwent donor nephrectomy on the left side, and 163 (45%) underwent donor nephrectomy on the right side. Univariate analysis showed that gender and the preoperative creatinine level were significantly associated with postoperative serum creatinine elevation (1.5mg/dl or higher) (p

Purpose: To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of three phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors in the treatment of mele erectile dysfunction according to patient preference. Materials and Methods: Between January 2004 and August 2005, 113 male erectile dysfunctional patients were enrolled to this randomized, prospective, comparative, open-label, triple-crossover study of three PDE5 inhibitors. Patients were assigned to one of six medication schedules, and were prescribed a full dose of the drugs for 8 weeks, with a week of washout period prior to the next drug cycle. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) scores and side effects related with each medication were obtained at the end of study. 48 patients finished all the medications, and completed the study with a global assessment questionnaire on their drug preference and reasons for that preference. Results: The mean age of the patients was 54.6 (33-73) years. The mean pre-treatment IIEF and EF domain scores (±S.D.) were 28.2±14.7 and 10.6 ±6.6, respectively. The scores were significantly improved, to 47.9±14.6 and 19.9±6.6 with sildenafil, to 49.7±12.3 and 21.3±5.8 with vardenafil, and to 47.9±14.9 and 19.8±7.2 with tadalafil (p