Biomedical subjects

B Campo

Publications and source records attributed to B Campo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Histopathological findings after radiofrequency (RITA) treatment for prostate cancer.

Radiofrequency interstitial tumor ablation (RITA) is a thermal ablation method that uses needles and low radiofrequency (RF) energy. The aim of our study was to evaluate the histopathology of thermal lesions induced by RF energy delivered interstitially in prostate cancer patients who subsequently underwent prostatectomy, and to determine the feasibility, effectiveness and safety of this new method in a pilot study.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2003

Elevated E-cadherin and alpha/beta-catenin expression after androgen deprivation therapy in prostate adenocarcinoma.

The histological patterns of anti-androgen-treated prostate adenocarcinoma mimic high grade tumors classified according to the widely used Gleason scoring system. However, the biological characteristics of anti-androgen treated carcinoma are largely unknown. E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin adhesion molecules are down-regulated in pharmacologically untreated high grade prostate carcinoma. In this study, we used immunohistochemical techniques to investigate their expression in twenty acinar adenocarcinomas after anti-androgen therapy in prostatectomy specimens. After adrogen ablation therapy, expression of all these adhesion molecules was higher than that of pretreatment biopsies of the same patient group and high grade matched untreated controls. These results emphasize the inaccuracy of the Gleason score for anti-androgen-treated prostate adenocarcinoma and the more differentiated phenotype of prostate adenocarcinoma after anti-hormonal therapy.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2001

Molecular disorders in transitional vs. peripheral zone prostate adenocarcinoma.

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and microsatellite instability (MSI) have been shown to be mechanisms for tumor-suppressor gene inactivation in human oncogenesis. In our study, we examined LOH and MSI using 16 polymorphic markers of DNA for chromosomes 1, 3, 7, 8, 10 and 11. Microdissected tumor samples were isolated from 32 patients, representing 11 foci of incidentally discovered prostate cancer of the transitional zone (TZ), 12 prostate cancer of the peripheral zone (PZ) and 10 of high-grade PIN. We found loss of heterozygosity in the TZ group in 91% of informative cases (10/11) with al least 1 marker compared to 58% of cases (7/12) in PZ group and 70% of cases (7/10) in the HGPIN group. Chromosome 7 showed the highest rate of allelic loss in all 3 categories, with loss of 43% of loci in PIN, 37% in TZ tumors and 31% in PZ tumors. At chromosome 11, LOH was detected in 26% of loci in the TZ group, in 7% of loci in the PZ group and in 13% of loci in the PIN group. On chromosome 8, the PZ and HGPIN group showed allelic loss in 22% and 21% of loci, respectively, compared to 10% detected in the TZ group. The TZ group showed a significant higher rate of allelic instability compared to that observed in tumor samples from the peripheral zone: 73% of cases (8/11) showed genetic alterations (RER+ phenotype) in at least 4 loci analyzed compared to 8% and 10% in the PZ and HGPIN groups, respectively (p = 0.0006). These data suggest that transitional zone carcinoma and peripheral zone carcinoma display distinct and specific genetic alterations in different chromosomes. This diversity may help explain biologic and clinical differences between carcinomas arising in these distinct zones of the prostate. Also our results strongly suggest that the RER+ mutator phenotype could be linked to early development of transitional zone prostate carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2001

Macrocryosectioning of the prostate: a simple technique.

Whole mount sections of the prostate are widely used in many laboratories. Macrocryosections of the gland; that is, whole mount frozen sections of the prostate from radical prostatectomies represent a useful new research protocol. The technique is very simple and does not require expensive equipment.

Cryoultramicrotomy↗

PubMed2000

Sarco-endoplasmic ATPase blocker 2,5-Di(tert-butyl)-1, 4-benzohydroquinone inhibits N-, P-, and Q- but not T-, L-, or R-type calcium currents in central and peripheral neurons.

The effects of 2,5-di(tert-butyl)-1,4-benzohydroquinone (tBHQ), a synthetic phenolic antioxidant and a blocker of the sarco-endoplasmic ATPase, were evaluated on low and high voltage-activated Ca(2+) currents (ICas) with rodent dorsal root ganglion, hippocampal, and motor neurons. In all cell types tested, tBHQ (IC(50) = 35 microM) blocked ICa at concentrations used to inhibit sarco-endoplasmic ATPase. This effect was specific to tBHQ because the other sarco-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase pump inhibitors (thapsigargin and cyclopiazonic acid) had no effect. Selective blockade of the N-type current with omega-conotoxin GVIA and of P- (motoneuron) or Q-type currents (hippocampal neuron) with omega-agatoxin IVA indicated that tBHQ inhibited N, P, and Q types of ICa. tBHQ had no effect on nitrendipine-sensitive (L-type) and residual drug-resistant (R-type) ICa, nor on the low voltage-activated T-type ICa. Contrary to neuronal cells, the L-type ICa was inhibited by tBHQ in a differentiated mouse neuroblastoma and rat glioma hybrid cell line. Injection of cDNAs encoding the alpha1A, alpha1B, alpha1C, and alpha1E subunits into oocytes showed that tBHQ blocked ICas at the level of the pore-forming protein. This effect of tBHQ on ICa should be considered when interpreting results obtained with tBHQ used on neuronal preparations. It also may be useful for developing new strategies for the generation of more potent intracellular calcium transient inhibitors.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

AMS three-piece inflatable implants for erectile dysfunction: a long-term multi-institutional study in 200 consecutive patients.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the longterm mechanical reliability of AMS (American Medical Systems) three-piece inflatable implants and their impact on patient-partner satisfaction in 200 consecutive patients with erectile dysfunction who underwent surgery in five different institutions. METHODS: Patient charts included in the study were collected and extensively assessed to record pre- and intraoperative data and postoperative complications. All patients and 120 partners were then seen often in the office at a mean follow-up of 59 months (range 6-130) and they were extensively questioned about function of the device and its impact on the couple's sexual life. RESULTS: At the long-term follow-up, 185 patients (92.5%) were still engaging in sexual intercourse with a mean frequency of 1.7/week. Patients and partners reported prosthetic erections as excellent, satisfactory or poor in 96 (48%), 100 (50%) and 4 (2%) cases, and in 20 (17%), 80 (66%) and 20 (17%) cases, respectively. Postoperative sexual activity was considered excellent, satisfactory or poor by 140 (70%), 44 (22%) and 16 (8%) patients and by 34 (28%), 81 (68%) and 5 (4%) partners, respectively. Reasons for patients' complaints included postoperative penile shortening in 60 (30%) cases and poor glandular engorgement in 40 (20%) cases. Partners' main complaint was unnaturalness of the prosthetic erection, a factor reported by 30 (25%) subjects. Complications requiring surgical exploration included infection in 12 patients (6%) and mechanical failure in 8 patients (4%). Kaplan-Meier estimates demonstrated significantly decreased mechanical survival for the Ultrex type of cylinders compared to the CX type of cylinders. CONCLUSIONS: AMS three-piece inflatable implants provide an overall patient and partner satisfaction rate of 92 and 96%, respectively. However, postoperative penile shortening and poor glandular engorgement were the causes of some complaints among the patient population as well as the unnaturalness of prosthetic erection among female partners. In the long-term, mechanically speaking, CX cylinders seem to be more reliable than the Ultrex ones.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Intravesical electromotive administration of drugs for treatment of superficial bladder cancer: a comparative Phase II study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of electromotive administration (EMDA) of intravesical mitomycin-C (MMC) in patients with superficial bladder tumors and to evaluate the toxicity of the treatment. METHODS: Thirteen patients with multifocal Stages Ta-T1 and G1-G2 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, primary or recurrent (group A), received MMC 40 mg (retained in the bladder for 2 hours) once a week for 8 weeks. Fifteen patients with the same characteristics (group B) were treated with EMDA/MMC at a current of 15 mA for 20 minutes once a week for 8 weeks. All lesions in the bladder except one (marker) were resected in each patient. RESULTS: In group A, 5 of 12 patients (41.6%) demonstrated complete macroscopic and histologic disappearance of the marker lesion (complete response [CR]). In group B, 6 of 15 patients (40%) had a similar CR. Recurrence rate in responders was 60% in group A versus 33% in group B after 7.6 and 6 months, respectively. Disease-free interval was 14.5 months in the EMDA/MMC group compared to 10.5 months in the MMC group. Side effects were few. CONCLUSIONS: In intermediate risk patients with TCC of the bladder, EMDA/MMC was not superior to MMC alone with a CR rate of 41% versus 41.6%. In responders, a lower recurrence rate and a longer disease-free interval were observed in the EMDA/MMC group.

Administration, Intravesical↗

PubMed1997

Transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) of the prostate: a clinical and urodynamic evaluation.

OBJECTIVES: This prospective study evaluated the clinical and urodynamic changes in patients with obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) treated with transurethral needle ablation (TUNA). METHODS: One hundred twenty patients with obstructive uropathy due to BPH were treated with the TUNA procedure between January 1994 and December 1995. All patients were selected according to the criteria established by the guidelines proposed by the International Consensus Committee (World Health Organization, Paris, 1993). The TUNA procedure was performed in an outpatient setting using topical intraurethral anesthesia (2% lidocaine gel). RESULTS: Patients showed a decrease in irritative symptoms as measured by the international Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and postprocedure urodynamic parameters. The mean (+/- SD) pretreatment IPSS was 20.8 +/- 4.5. At 3 months, the IPSS decreased to 9.7 +/- 3.0 (108 patients) (P < 0.001). At 6 months it decreased to 6.8 +/- 3.1 (86 patients) and remained at 6.2 +/- 2.9 (72 patients) and 6.7 +/- 3.8 (42 patients) at 12 and 18 months, respectively (P < 0.001). At 1 year after treatment, the peak flow rate (Qmax) increased from 8.2 +/- 3.4 mL/s to 15.9 +/- 2.1 mL/s and was 14.1 +/- 2.5 mL/s at 18 months of follow-up (P < 0.01). Urodynamic re-evaluation performed in 72 patients 12 months after TUNA demonstrated the absence of obstruction in 30 (41.7%). An additional 30 patients (41.7%) had equivocal results, whereas the remaining 12 (16.6%) still had obstruction, according to the Abrams-Griffith nomogram. Mean detrusor pressure at Qmax decreased from 85.3 +/- 18.5 cm H2O to 63.7 +/- 24.9 cm H2O at 12 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that the TUNA procedure is safe and effective when performed as an outpatient procedure. In addition, TUNA produced better results in patients presenting with moderate to severe irritative symptoms and minimal obstruction as determined by pressure/flow studies.

Catheter Ablation↗

PubMed1996

[Comparison of orthotopic neobladders: Studer vs modified Camey II].

A comparative study between modified Camey II and Studer ileal orthotopic neobladder was performed. The Camey II was modified as follows: 1) The ureters were implanted, using wallace technique, in an undetubularized ileal loop, 15-18 cm. long, to prevent vesico-ureteral reflux; 2) The neobladder was made using staplers. In such a way, time is saved (about one hour) and results are quite similar, with a low rate of ureteral stenosis in both groups.

Cystectomy↗

PubMed1995

Five-year results of neoadjuvant cisplatin, methotrexate and vinblastine chemotherapy plus radical cystectomy in locally advanced bladder cancer.

Neoadjuvant systemic cisplatin, methotrexate and vinblastine chemotherapy has been used in the treatment of 69 patients with advanced bladder cancer (stages T2-T4 N+/N0 M0). Sixty patients were evaluable for response at a median follow-up of 48 months. Preoperative resection of the tumor was purposely avoided in order to keep a marker lesion. After planned radical cystectomy, pathological complete responses (pCRs) and partial responses (pPRs) were documented in 5 (8.3%) and 29 cases (43.4%), respectively. These patients had a 5-year disease-free survival rate of 80%, which was statistically superior (p = 0.0013) to 35% for the remaining nonresponding patients. One patient (20%) with a pCR died of systemic disease after 14 months, while the remaining 4 patients (80%) are alive and free of disease after a median follow-up of 57 months. A higher percentage of pCRs and pPRs was observed in the group of patients with stage T3b-T4 tumor (pCR 11%, pPR 63%) in contrast to the patients with stage T2-T3a disease (pCR 4.5%, pPR 45.5%), even if no significant difference in the 5-year survival rate was observed between the 2 groups. Patients with a G2 tumor before chemotherapy survived longer (5-year survival rate of 78%) than those with G3 disease (5-year survival rate of 61%), but no significant difference was achieved.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

[Transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) of the prostate: preliminary results].

A multicentric prospective study was designed in Italy to verify the efficacy and the safety of TUNA-BPH patients treatment. The study is co-ordinate by Progress in Urology Association was started in January 1994. Thirty five patients were treated (Mean age 68.4 +/- 4.1 aa). All patients were selected and evaluated to respect the recommendations of the International Consensus Committee (Paris 1993). The procedure was performed with lidocaine 2.5% urethral gel, oral intake of 10 mg of diazepam and steroidal antiphlogistic drugs 1 hour before treatment. Maximal number of prostatic lesions were 6; in 2 BPH initial cases were done 2 lesions alone. The treatment was interrupted at the third lesion in 2 patients because uncomfortable. Hematuria was observed in all patients, but it was resolved within 12 hours. Irritative symptoms were referred by 10 patients (28.6%) and they spontaneously were insignificant within 24 hours. One patient had an acute prostatitis. In 15 patients (42.6%) was necessary to put a suprapubic cystostomy, but all except one voided within 36 hours. We noted narrow connection between prostatic lesions number and urinary acute retention after TUNA. The average follow-up is 3.2 months (range 0.5-6). At the follow-up urine culture was always negative and PSA values increased in the first month. The value of PSA was always higher than pre-treatment, but from 1 month to 3 months progressively reduced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

PubMed1992

A new marker for early detection and indicator of progression of cancer of the bladder. Preliminary results with Ag-NOR index in 38 cases of superficial bladder cancer.

The multiform biology of superficial bladder tumors, both morphologically and evolutively, and the lack of reliable predictors of progression have led the authors to study the Ag-NOR proteins as a new marker of these tumors. It is well known that particularly the low-grade superficial tumors frequently relapse on the same histologic and proliferative module. Their potential of progression is probably present at the time of the first manifestation of the disease or it can show itself along the relapsing evolution with classic modifications translating the cellular dedifferentiation. The NOR index, set up by the authors, has several advantages: firstly, it corresponds to a functional value of normal and neoplastic cells; secondly, it can be used also with paraffin blocks. Another advantage is the semiautomatic lecture, reproducible also in the urinary cytology, mainly of low-grade tumors, reducing the number of false-negatives. The conclusion of the study of 38 cases of superficial bladder cancer has induced the authors to believe that an increased NOR index is a reliable 'marker' of their progression. Therefore, the authors suggest the use of the NOR activity for the surveillance of the urothelial disease and for a more logical therapeutic strategy.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Nucleolar organizer regions: preliminary results of the clinical use of a new marker for prostatic carcinoma (40 cases).

It is a widely diffused opinion that moving backwards in time the moment of the diagnosis of cancer of prostate, so that the tumor is detected earlier than normal, means that the treatment would be more effective than the one adopted in the usual times of diagnosis. For this reason the earlier diagnosis of prostate cancer has become more and more a compulsory target of the modern urologist, at a time of booming of the third age, of increased lifetime expectancy, of significant elevation of prostate cancer rate and of the persistent uncertainty of the efficacy of available treatments. Theoretically the mortality rate of prostate cancer can be reduced by the prevention programs and by the improvements of treatment methods, but the 'earlier' diagnosis is certainly an easier and less expensive strategy to achieve the same objective. The authors have evaluated the argyrophilic-nucleolar organizer region (Ag-NOR) proteins on 40 cases of adenocarcinoma of prostate collected through a multicentric program in France and in Italy. The Ag-NOR have been stained with silver technique set up by Ploton and Derenzini while the quantitative index has been evaluated by a semiautomatic system partially commercially available, partially modified by the authors. The conclusions: (a) the Ag-NOR index is a simple and reproducible method; (b) the Ag-NOR staging system corresponds to Gleason's grading; (c) the Ag-NOR elevation is a reliable marker of increased cell proliferation and is detectable much earlier than the morphologic changes of Gleason's classification.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1991

Systemic preoperative chemotherapy with cisplatin, methotrexate and vinblastine for locally advanced bladder cancer: local tumor response and early followup results.

A total of 44 patients with infiltrating, locally advanced bladder cancer (stages T 3a-b, T 4a-b and N+/N0) were treated with the systemic chemotherapy regimen of cisplatin, methotrexate and vinblastine (CMV) in the neoadjuvant setting, of whom 39 were evaluable for response. After planned radical cystectomy and 2 to 3 cycles of chemotherapy no tumor was found on the pathological specimen of 4 patients (10%), the tumor was downstaged in 19 (49%) and no change was observed in 16 (41%). Toxicity included leukopenia in 29 patients (66%), 1 of whom died of granulocytopenic sepsis, nausea and vomiting in 39 (89%) and mild to moderate mucositis in 18 (41%). Median followup is 12 months with a range of 6 to 39 months. Of 32 patients followed for longer than 6 months 6 (19%) experienced progression or recurrence of disease. We conclude that preoperative CMV chemotherapy is effective in inducing downstaging of the tumor, although systemic toxicity limits its use to cautiously selected patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

[Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with MVC (methotrexate, vinblastine, cisplatin)in the treatment of infiltrating transitional carcinoma of the bladder].

Of 19 patients with advanced transitional bladder cancer (T2-T4, N0-N+, M0) who received two or three cycles of pre-emptive MVC (Methotrexate, Vinblastine, Cisplatin), pathological partial (PR) and complete (CR) remissions were observed in 67% (50% and 17% respectively). The toxicity of chemotherapy was generally acceptable but 5 patients required hospitalization for neutropenia and thrombopenia . In one of them chemotherapy was stopped for severe sepsis. No death was observed. In 11 patients follow-up is greater than 12 months. In this group, 10 patients are actually alive and disease-free, while the other one was dead owing to brain metastasis, after eight months from surgery.

Aged↗

PubMed1988

Sacral chordoma and rehabilitative treatment of urinary disorders.

Sacral chordoma is one of the rarest tumors of the central nervous system (less than 1% of the entire group). Mictional disorders are among the most frequent symptoms and are caused by the extrinsic compression brought to bear on the cauda equina and by surgical demolition of the sacrum. Seven patients who had undergone sacral resection for chordoma, starting from S2, were followed for at least one year. It was observed that mictional disorders were often early symptoms signalling the presence of chordoma. Several patients were affected by a complete bladder denervation (infrasacral lesion) after surgery. Early rehabilitative treatment given after surgery for one year restored normal bladder functions in all the patients whose bladder denervation seemed to be not total (negative Lapides' test). Even when a complete infrasacral lesion of the bladder has been ascertained, early rehabilitative treatment may well prevent serious renal damage.

Chordoma↗

PubMed1988

The role of partial cystectomy in the management of transitional bladder cancer.

A study on 81 patients who underwent partial cystectomy for bladder cancer is presented. The low postoperative mortality (2.46%) and the high 5-year survival (72%) show that this type of surgery is effective and without major complications. Thirty-eight patients were treated with endovesical thiotepa (OTT); the remaining 41 patients were untreated after surgery. Results showed that survival and number of relapses were similar in the two groups. This fact seems to prove that chemotherapy with OTT is not essential after segmental cystectomy. To explain this assertion, several hypotheses are presented.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

PubMed1988

Micturitional dysfunction after anterior resection for rectal cancer. Rehabilitative treatment.

A clinical study was made of 21 patients (13 men and eight women) who had undergone anterior resection of the rectum for cancer at the National Tumour Institute of Milan between April 1984 and April 1985. After surgery, 13 patients (including three men with benign prostatic hypertrophy) showed voiding dysfunctions (hesitancy, dysuria, and weak stream) and bladder areflexia. Two of them also had positive Lapides' tests. An early rehabilitative treatment was started after surgery and the entire group was thoroughly reexamined one year later. Only the two patients with positive Lapides' tests still had bladder areflexia with residual urine greater than 100 ml. One of them also had a urinary tract infection. None of them showed decreased renal function.

Female↗