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To determine the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on 9p21 (locus D9S1747) in patients with renal carcinoma by analysis of microsatellite polymorphisms.40 patients with sporadic renal cancer were studied. LOH on 9p21 was performed by analysis of microsatellite polymorphisms.23.7% showed LOH on 9p21. No correlation was found between this genetic alteration and tumor features.LOH on 9p21 was found in 23.7% of the patients in this series. LOH was found in 26.9% of renal cell carcinomas, 25% of papillary carcinomas and 25% of Bellini duct carcinomas. LOH was not found in the other histological types.

The development of in vitro cell tissue culture techniques has provided most of the current knowledge on the physiology of both normal and tumor cells. The results of cell culture studies using nephrectomy specimens are presented.Surgical specimens from 7 patients (3 males, 42.9%; 4 females, 57.1%) aged 43-79 years (mean 62.14), who had undergone nephrectomy for renal adenocarcinoma between April 1997 and February 1998 were utilized. The tumor cell samples were obtained during surgery, after the kidney had been excised. The samples were cut, washed in a balanced saline solution and enzymatically dissociated in a trypsin solution (0.1% Hank's solution) for 30 minutes at 37 degrees, centrifuged, placed in Multiwell plates, covered with 0.1 mg/ml polylysine (ICN) or 3 mg/ml collagen S (Boehringer) and cultured in RPMI 1640 (Sigma) supplemented with 5% fetal calf serum (reagent), which was changed every 2-3 days for one month. After the culture had developed, samples were fixed in 70% ethanol and stained with hematoxylin-eosin for cell identification. Cell types were identified by cytokeratin analysis.The histological types were: clear cell renal adenocarcinoma in three cases (42.9%), renal oncocytoma in two (28.6%), mixed cells renal adenocarcinoma in one (14.3%) and papillary carcinoma in one case (14.3%). Polylysine and collagen were found to be good substrates for normal and tumor cell culture. Polylysine was found to be a better substrate for epithelial cells; there were less epithelial and more mesangial cells in the collagen substate. The positive cytokeratin expression (a marker for intermediate filaments) corroborates the well-known epithelial origin of renal cell carcinoma. Epithelial cells from normal kidney grew well in the culture medium. Mean cell survival was 30.83 days (range 15-50). To evaluate the viability of the culture, positivity for a neutral red stain was used as marker for good metabolic activity after one month. All cultures that survived for more than one month (5 of 7) stained positively.The study and development of human cell lines is useful to analyze the metabolic aspects of renal carcinoma. Cell cultures permit conducting genetic and molecular studies and investigating the radio and chemosensitivity of renal carcinoma in vitro.

To analyze the incidence of tumors in renal graft recipients, the course, treatment and its effect on the graft and patient.We conducted a retrospective and prospective study on 477 renal transplants performed at our hospital from 1980 to 1996. The tumor type, course and possible tumor-related factors (immunosuppression, age, sex, graft rejection, virus) were analyzed.57 tumors were found; 41 patients had at least one tumor. The most common were skin, renal and lung cancer. Age, sex and immunosuppression were found to be tumor-related factors in renal transplant recipients.Patients undergoing renal transplantation are at a higher risk for developing a tumor, above all in the older male patients. A relationship was found for immunosuppression, the number of drugs received and the number of rejection episodes. Furthermore, the tumor pattern in these patients is different from the usual pattern.

Currently, there is not known tumoral marker for vesical carcinoma that would allow to distinguish when a surface tumour may become invasive.To analyze the functionality of a series of biological substances (CEA, CA 50, CA 19.9 and TPS) in vesical carcinoma.Between September 1992 and June 1994, a total of 385 biological specimens divided into two groups were analyzed. The first group comprised 271 serum samples from 81 control subjects and 190 patients with vesical carcinoma. The second group included 114 urothelial tissue samples (56 controls and 58 vesical carcinoma). Serum and tissue levels of CA, CA 50, CA 19.1 and TPS were determined in both groups by fluoroimmunoassay, RIA and IRMA, respectively. An statistical evaluation was done using Student's 't' and/or Mann-Whitney tests depending on whether data distribution adjusted to normal or not.Patients with vesical carcinoma, ana within this group those with infiltrant tumours, showed higher CEA serum levels. Also CEA tissue levels found in neoplastic vesical urothelium were higher than those in the control group (p0.05). Tissue levels were higher in infiltrant tumours. Higher TPS serum and tissue levels were found in the vesical tumours group. Same as with CEA, CA 50 also exhibited higher serum levels in the group with vesical Ca than in the controls (p0.01). Likewise, CA 50 tissue values were higher in the group with vesical Ca, more specifically in the infiltrant tumours group (p0.001). Statistically significant differences become apparent when the above values were compared to tissue samples from the control group (p0.001). On the other hand, serum CA 19.9 levels were lower in the vesical carcinoma group although tissue levels were higher in the vesical Ca group (p0.001).Transitional cell vesical carcinoma is a tumour that produces and secretes CEA, CA 50, CA 19.1 and TPS. CEA and CA 50 levels could be used as prognostic factors.

Clinical and urodynamic evaluation of a series of 35 patients aged between 49 and 85 years. Clinical symptoms presented post-miocapsulotomy reduction both in obstructive and irritative signs and symptoms in 97.2% and 91.6% cases, respectively. Likewise, a decrease in peak flow and peak flow percentile was shown in 80.5% and 80% of cases, respectively. Vesical instability was seen in 90.9% and 55.5% of cases in pre- and post-operative studies respectively. An statistically significant post-operative drop (p0.05) in the detrusor's peak pressure during miction, (76.6 vs. 56 cm H2O), was confirmed. From our results it may be concluded that MC is a useful surgical technique in the treatment of prostatic obstruction, with the advantage versus other techniques that very frequently it preserves the proximal urinary continence mechanism and the sexual sphincter.

Transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder carries a high rate of local recurrence and 15%-30% of the cases progress to advanced stages of the disease. The multiple forms of the tumor make it difficult to find reliable diagnostic elements of tumor evolution and some authors have advocated the use of tumor markers for the diagnosis and follow-up of malignant bladder tumors. This study was conducted to determine the biological behaviour of the HCG beta subunit it transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. One hundred patients were entered into the study; the control group comprised 30 healthy subjects and the patient group comprised 70 cases of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. The results showed the HCG beta subunit increased with the size and degree of tumor infiltration, although the data were not statistically significant. Similarly, analysis of the degree of tumor differentiation/non differentiation provided no statistically significant data.

To determine the utility of the urethral plug in the management of female stress urinary incontinence.A prospective clinical study was conducted in 20 female patients with stress urinary incontinence in order to evaluate the efficacy of a new urethral plug. The mean age was 59.6 +/- 6.2 years (range 40-66). The study design included 3 visits (4 weeks). The results were considered "positive" when urinary incontinence decreased and the patient referred a subjective sensation of improvement, and "negative" if otherwise.Positive results were demonstrated in 8 patients (40%). Ten patients (50%) refused to continue, mainly due to urinary tract infection in 7 cases (35%), difficulties in plug use (loss of plugs, anomalous urethral anatomy, cystocele,...) in 6 cases (30%) and urethral mucosa irritation in one case (5%). No plug migrated into the bladder. The initial urinary incontinence grade in the positive cases were: minor in 4 (50%), mild in 2 (25%) and severe in 2 (25%). We found no statistical relationship between the urinary incontinence grade and clinical results. The patients used a median of 5 plugs per day. Of the 10 patients who completed the study, 5 (50%) refused to continue using the plug and 5 (50%) decided to continue using the plug in combination with electrostimulation and/or pelvic floor exercises.The use of the urethral plug in the management of female stress urinary incontinence is not an alternative to surgical treatment or pelvic floor rehabilitation. However, it could be useful for patients who are unwilling or unfit for surgery. Finally, the urethral plug is an alternative to the use of collecting systems or devices in female stress urinary incontinence.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), described by Gold and Freedman, was the first fetal tumor antigen isolated in tumor homogenates. The present study investigated the biological behaviour of CEA in superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, deep localized and disseminated. The study comprised 100 subjects; 30 carefully-selected healthy subjects comprised the first group and 70 patients with a diagnosed transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder comprised the second group. Serum CEA was determined by enzyme immunoassay (CEA, EIA, Roche). Our results suggest that serum CEA determination affords no diagnostic benefit in this type of malignant tumor.

Tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) is a marker of proliferative cellular activity. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the production of this marker in bladder carcinomas and to study the biological behaviour in this type of patients. From September, 1992 to June, 1993, we studied 50 patients divided into two groups. The first group comprised healthy subjects and the second one comprised 30 patients with bladder carcinoma. In both groups, we determined the TPS in blood and tumoral tissue by RIA (TPS-IRMA Beki-Diagnostic AB). Our results demonstrated higher levels of TPS in tumoral tissue and blood than in healthy subjects (1887.83 and 197.33 vs 231.5 and 58.23 IU/ml) and higher levels of tissular and blood TPS for the undifferentiated tumors (989.66 and 231.5, 1748.2 and 210, 1842.6 and 219, 2010.7 and 220 IU/ml for Broders' classification 1, 2, 3 and 4).

A comment is made on the role growth factors play on the regulation of prostate growth. These factors require the mediation of an specific membrane receptor to which they have to bind in order to exercise their action correctly. The objective of the present job is to carry out a comprehensive review of each and every growth factor involved in prostate growth: family of the epidermal growth factor, family of the beta-transforming growth factor, and family of the fibroblast growth factor. As a final conclusion, it should be mentioned that the two prostate growth-regulating factors more extensively studied and with greater etiopathogenic relevance in benign prostate hyperplasia, are the epidermal growth factor and, more particularly, the fibroblast growth factor.