(Objective) We investigated the efficacy and safety of percutaneous renal mass biopsy retrospectively.

(Methods) A retrospective review was performed of 44 patients (46 renal masses) who received ultrasound and/or computed tomography guided percutaneous biopsy of a solid renal mass between April 2004 and December 2012 in National Defense Medical College Hospital.

(Results) The median renal mass size was 45 (range 15-140) mm with a median of 2 (1-5) cores taken. Thirteen masses were biopsied for differential diagnosis between RCC and other malignancies (or benign renal tumors), 11 were biopsied for differential diagnosis between RCC and renal pelvic urothelial carcinoma, 10 unresectable masses were biopsied to confirm the diagnosis pathologically before starting medication, and 12 small masses were biopsied before radio-frequency ablation. Of the initial 46 biopsies, 38 (82.6%) were diagnostic. The median lesion sizes in the diagnostic and nondiagnostic biopsy specimens were 45 (15-140) mm and 43 (17-128) mm. The median numbers of diagnostic and nondiagnostic cores were 2 (1-5) and 1.5 (1-4). These size and core number differences between the diagnostic and nondiagnostic biopsy specimens are not statistically significant. Of initial nondiagnostic 8 masses, 3 masses that were performed repeat biopsy resulted in determined diagnosis finally. There were mild postprocedural hematomas not requiring blood transfusion. There was no tumor dissemination after renal mass biopsy.

(Conclusions) Percutaneous biopsy of renal masses is a safe procedure that provides diagnostic information.

(Objectives) To evaluate the outcomes of patients who were surgically treated for retroperitoneal liposarcoma in our hospital from February 2002 to August 2015.

(Methods) Fifteen patients were surgically treated for retroperitoneal liposarcoma in our hospital during the study period. All patients were diagnosed with liposarcoma on pathological examination. The mean follow-up period was 46.7 months (range, 1-126 months).

(Results) There was no difference in the sex distribution of the patients (7 men and 8 women). The median age was 67 years (range, 33-78 years). The median tumor diameter was 24 cm (range, 7.5-45 cm) and the median tumor weight was 1,959 g (range, 545-15,400 g). One patient's operation was unsuccessful, with incomplete tumor resection. The surgical margin was positive in two patients. The 5- and 10-year survival rates were 67% and 50%, respectively. There was a significant difference in the survival rate between complete resection and incomplete resection, including surgical margin-positive patients (p=0.0019). Moreover, there was a significant difference in the recurrence-free rate between complete resection and surgical margin-positive patients (p=0.013). There was no significant difference according to whether removal of the tumor with adjacent viscera or removal of the tumor only had been performed (p=0.09 and 0.90, respectively).

(Conclusions) Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for retroperitoneal liposarcoma, and complete resection is necessary.

(Introduction and objectives) Radical nephroureterectomy with complete distal ureterectomy is the standard therapy for upper tract urothelial malignancy. Segmental ureterectomy with ueteroneocytostomy is an alternative for distal ureteral carcinoma. We describe extravesical complete distal ureterectomy combined by transurethral bladder cuff excision with frozen-section analysis.

(Patient and methods) Since December 2008, 11 patients (median age 77 year old, male 10, female 1, right 10, left 1) with solitary distal ureteral carcinoma who had mild hydronephrosis of ipsilateral kidney remaining renal function on enhanced CT. Under general anesthesia, the patient was placed in lithotomy position, rigid cystoscopy was inserted into the bladder. Cold punch biopsy of 4 sites of bladder mucosa 5 mm away from ureteral orifice (12, 3, 6, 9 o'clock) was carried out and sent to frozen-section analysis. Use resectoscopy with needle-type electrode, incise the bladder mucosa along the biopsy sites circumferentially and incise submucosa tissue around the ureteral orifice deeply enough to detach intramural ureter. Then lower abdominal midline incision was made. After entering the retroperitoneal space, the ureter was dissected and ureteral margin was sent to frozen-section analysis. The distal ureter was dissected until the margin of bladder mucosa incised by transurethrally. After ascertainment of no cancer cell in the frozen-section, close the defect in the bladder. Then the ureter was re-implanted into the bladder by extravesical approach.

(Results) Median estimate blood loss was 150 ml (40-350 ml) and median operative time was 258 min (170-317 min.). No patients in our series required a blood transfusion. The mean tumor size was 20+/- 4.4 mm. Pathological T stage was Ta 3, T1 3, T2 2 and T3 3. No positive surgical margin was noted. Mean serum creatinine before and 1 month after surgery was 1.05+/- 0.21 mg/dl and 089+/- 0.13 mg/dl. Mean eGFR before and 1 month after surgery was 54.1+/- 11.4 and 63.4+/- 8.4. Median followup was 35 months (range 4 to 93). Although there were two patients who died from distant metastatic disease, no patients have encountered cancer recurrence in the remained ipsilateral upper urinary tract.

(Conclusions) Segmental ureterectomy combined by transurethral bladder cuff excision with frozen-section analysis could perform complete resection of distal ureteral carcinoma and preserve ipsilateral renal function. This technique is feasible for patients with distal ureteral carcinoma as an optional treatment. Better preservation of renal function can lead to increased tolerance of cisplatin-based adjuvant or salvage chemotherapy.

(Purpose) This study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sequential therapy with two novel drugs, abiraterone and enzalutamide after docetaxel (DOC) therapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

(Material and methods) Twenty-one patients were identified received sequential therapy with abiraterone and enzalutamide after DOC therapy at our institution. We investigated PSA response (decrease of 50% or more) to prior administered drug as primary endpoint, and overall survival rate and occurrence of adverse events as secondary endpoint.

(Results) There were 12 patients in the group preliminarily administered enzalutamide (Group E) and 9 patients in the group preliminarily administered abiraterone (Group A). The novel drugs were administered immediately following DOC therapy in nearly all cases. Of the 9 patients in Group A, only one patient (11%) and of the 12 patients in Group E, only one patient (9%) achieved PSA decrease of 50% or more, thus resulting in a poor response rate. There was not significantly difference in both groups. The overall survival rates of Group A and E were not significantly difference. There were three adverse events which required change drug. Those were two cases (appetite loss and general fatigue) on enzalutamide and one case (edema) on abiraterone.

(Conclusion) This study suggested that sequential therapy with abiraterone and enzalutamide after DOC therapy had poor clinical benefit regardless of the order of administration of both drugs.

(Objectives) Radiation induced cystitis (RC) is one of the toxicities we must often treat after radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Some patients require urinary diversion with or without cystectomy.

We evaluated the clinical risks and management of RC.

(Patients and methods) The clinical records of 303 patients who underwent radiation therapy for prostate cancer (199 only radiation therapy; 104 adjuvant or salvage radiation therapy after radical prostatectomy) between 2005 and 2015 in our institute, were reviewed.

We defined RC based on the presence of macrohematuria, not caused by reccurence of prostate cancer or occurrence of bladder cancer.

(Results) The median follow up time was 37 months (range 1-132).

Thirty patients (9.9%) developed RC.

Compared to radiation therapy alone, adjuvant/salvage radiation therapy was found to be a risk for RC (4.5% vs. 20.1%, p< 0.01).

Ten out of 30 RC patients needed hospitalization and 6 patients underwent urinary diversion with or without cystectomy.

Two patients who underwent urinary diversion without cystectomy were hospitalized for a longer period compared with 4 patients with cystectomy.

(Conclusion) Adjuvant/salvage therapy is a risk factor of RC after radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

About 2% of the patients needed urinary diversion and cystectomy improved their prognosis.

(Objective) To determine whether the plakin family proteins periplakin, desmoplakin, plectin, and envoplakin could be markers of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract.

(Materials and methods) Fifty-seven surgical specimens were obtained from patients with urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract, who were admitted to the Jikei University Hospital between April 2000 and December 2005. The expression of plakin family proteins in cancerous and normal tissues was investigated using immunohistochemistry, and its association with clinicopathological parameters was analyzed.

(Results) The expression of periplakin, envoplakin, and desmoplakin was significantly lower in cancerous tissue than in normal urothelium (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P < 0.0001, respectively). Strong desmoplakin expression in cancerous tissue was significantly associated with poor cancer-specific survival and overall survival (P = 0.023 and P = 0.034, respectively, compared with cancerous tissue with slight or less desmoplakin expression). Furthermore, strong plectin expression was significantly associated with poor metastasis-free survival (P = 0.034, compared with cancerous tissue with slight or less plectin expression).

(Conclusion) Plakin family, particularly desmoplakin was suggested to be a prognostic marker of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract.

A 47-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital in June 2014 in hemorrhagic shock due to rupture of a huge right renal angiomyolipoma (AML). Selective right renal arterial embolization performed that same day reversed the shock immediately. Despite the huge abdominal tumor, the patient was discharged 2 weeks later after refusing any further treatment.

Two weeks later she noticed the abdominal tumor growing. One month after discharge, she was readmitted due to dyspnea caused by restriction of her breathing by the growing tumor mass. A CT revealed a massive increase in tumor size with internal liquefaction, a thrombus in the left common iliac vein, and a 12 mm aneurysm in the right renal artery. The patient requested removal of the abdominal tumor since her ADL had deteriorated. We decided to perform a right nephrectomy with consideration of the left common iliac vein thrombus and right renal arterial aneurysm.

As a precaution against pulmonary embolism in case the left common iliac vein thrombus dislodged, a retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filter was inserted before surgery. We were also concerned about possible rupture of the right renal aneurysm, so the right renal artery was embolized before surgery. After these procedures, a right nephrectomy was performed via a transperitoneal approach.

The surgery was uneventful. The tumor weighed about 11 kg including 7,000 mL of bloody fluid. The IVC filter was removed the day after surgery, but the thrombus in the left common iliac vein remained, and an anticoagulant was started. Three months later, the thrombus had disappeared, and the anticoagulant was discontinued six months after surgery.

According to the treatment guidelines for deep vein thrombosis, anticoagulants are the drugs of choice. IVC filters are seldom used to prevent pulmonary embolism. We initially administered an anticoagulant for the thrombus in the left iliac vein. However, an increase in abdominal tumor size suggested the drug had caused internal rebleeding and it had to be discontinued. Ultimately, we used a temporary retrievable IVC filter during the right nephrectomy with success.

There is currently no consensus on when to use an IVC filter. Moreover, very little data exists on the use of an IVC filter during the perioperative period. Therefore, given the risk of potential thromboembolism, although we were able to use it successfully in our surgery, it should not be employed without a thorough benefit-risk assessment.

In the present report, we describe a patient with microcystic variant of urothelial carcinoma in urinary bladder. In March 2016, a 71-year-old man presented with bladder tumors found incidentally by ultrasonography. Cystoscopy and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple invasive tumor of posterior wall, with a maximum diameter of 33 mm. Transurethral resection (TUR) of bladder tumors was performed. Pathological diagnosis was urothelial carcinoma, high grade, T2 or more. Invasive urothelial carcinoma was diagnosed and laparoscopic radical cystectomy with orthotopic neobladder was performed accordingly in April 2016. Pathological findings indicated a diagnosis of microcystic variant of urothelial carcinoma. At present, six months after surgery, the patient remains free of recurrence and metastasis. Here we review the characteristics of 4 microcystic variant of urothelial carcinoma cases reported in Japan.

Fibrous hamartoma of infancy (FHI) is a rare, benign soft tissue tumor arising from subcutaneous tissue in children during the first two years of life. The tumor is commonly found in the axilla, shoulder and upper arm. Paratesticular FHI is extremely rare. To date, only a case of paratesticular FHI has been reported in Japan. We present a case of paratesticular FHI in an 11-month-old boy who eventually needed orchiectomy due to local recurrence one month after the excision of the tumor. Ten months postoperatively, there was no sign of recurrence.

We report a case of ABO incompatible living kidney transplantation in a 45-year-old man with selective IgA deficiency. He has been on hemodialysis for 1 year due to chronic renal failure. Although the serum anti-IgA antibody was negative, he has experienced anaphylactic reaction to red blood cell product in the past. Before the transplantation, we performed double filtration plasmapheresis for two times, but didn't performed plasma exchange, considering the possibility of producing anti-IgA antibody and anaphylactic reaction. He underwent kidney transplantation from his mother without anaphylactic reaction, following to the recirculation of renal blood flow. He was discharged on the 29th postoperative day when the serum creatinine level was 1.2 mg/dL. The graft function was stable at 8 months after transplantation with no evidence of rejection and infection.

The patient was a 61-year old male on maintenance dialysis who underwent transrectal prostate biopsy due to a high PSA level. The patient started suffering from intense pain in the anal region 1 hour after the biopsy, and in 7 hours, intense lower abdominal pain and bilious vomiting developed. Progressive anemia was observed with a giant retroperitoneal hematoma which had partially extended intraperitoneally on a non-contrast CT image. These findings might have been caused by arterial bleeding which occurred during the prostate biopsy. The general condition was stable, and the symptoms were improved by blood transfusion and conservative treatments.

(Case) A 31-year-old woman noticed lower abdominal pain and urinary incontinence after voiding one month after third cesarean section. Cystoscopy and cystourethrography demonstrated a vesicouterine fistula at the posterior wall of the bladder. She complained of paroxysmal lower abdominal pain and slight incontinence without urge after voiding several times a month, which presented before and after menorrhea. Breast-feeding was ended 1 year after the labor, and then she underwent LH-RH agonist to keep amenorrhea. Urinary incontinence resolved completely within five months of hormonal therapy. During 8 years' follow-up, she remains asymptomatic and cystourethrography did not demonstrate the leakage.

(Discussion) Most cases of vesicouterine fistula have been managed by surgical repair. As the pathophysiology of this disease resembles endometriosis, less-invasive hormonal therapy using LH-RH agonist can be a good treatment option before surgery.