Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to F Arias Fúnez.
Contribution of a case report of diffuse bladder haemangioma developed since childhood, focusing on the diagnosis and management of these tumours and on the pathoanatomical analysis of the lesion. Literature review.
We report the case of a 20-year old male with a right testicular tumor. Bilateral orchidectomy was practised considering the synchronous clinical, ultrasonographical and histological (intraoperative biopsy) findings of the left testis. The definitive pathological report showed a right embryonal carcinoma with wide intratubular germ cell neoplasia (IGCN) of the contralateral testis. IGCN (formerly carcinoma in situ) is present in about 5% of cases in the contralateral gonad of those patients with a testicular neoplasm. More than 50% will develop cancer in that testis. Clinical and physical examination findings are usually unspecific. The diagnosis of IGCN is based on biopsy, although ultrasonography could give some data too, as some authors report. We analyze the therapy options for IGCN: (orchidectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or "wait and see"). In our case, the first one was made. Chemotherapy was used due to existence of retroperitoneal lymph node metastases, with an excellent follow-up afterwards.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the telomerase activity in urine samples of patients with superficial bladder cancer, its sensitivity and specificity as a tumor marker, and possible implications for prognosis, diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy. METHODS: Urine samples of 50 patients with superficial bladder cancer were analyzed. Telomerase activity was determined by TRAP (telomeric repeat amplification protocol). Standard urinary cytology, urine culture and urinary sediment analysis were performed, as well as a pathological analysis of the surgical specimen. RESULTS: 84% of the patients were positive for telomerase activity and only 52% had a positive cytology. Telomerase activity showed a sensitivity and specificity of 73.6% and 92.7%, respectively, versus 53.2% and 81.8% for urinary cytology. The degree of cell differentiation and, to a lesser extent, bladder wall infiltration showed differences in comparison with conventional urinary cytology. CONCLUSIONS: Telomerase activity can be determined in voided urine samples of patients with superficial bladder cancer. It has a higher sensitivity and specificity than conventional urinary cytology and is a good marker for diagnosis and follow-up of these patients.
OBJECTIVES: To analyze the incidence of lithiasis and stone composition in our setting. The trend is compared with the results of the majority of studies on urinary calculi reported in the literature based on the number and composition of stones. METHODS: The study comprised patients referred to the Urolithiasis Unit of our hospital over the last 21 years. Stone composition was analyzed by infra-red spectroscopy. The study period was divided into 4 time intervals: 1977-1979, 1977-1980, 1977-1987 and 1977-1998 in order to determine the trends of the incidence of lithiasis in our setting. RESULTS: A total of 5516 patients were reviewed; of these, 766 had recurrence. The distribution was 385, 995, 3378 and 5516, respectively. Calcium oxalate calculi showed an incidence of 61.3%, calcium phosphate 18.5%, uric acid 11.2%, infectious calculi (ammonium urate and ammonium magnesium phosphate) 6.6%, and finally the incidence of cysteine calculi was 0.77%. Concerning the distribution according to sex, 62% of the males had calcium oxalate stones, 68% uric acid, 42.5% phosphate and 45% infectious lithiasis. The trends for uric acid, infectious, oxalate and phosphate calculi changed over time. CONCLUSIONS: There is a clear trend of calculi prevalence in the male, particularly oxalate and uric acid calculi. There is a trend for cysteine calculi to remain the same, calcium phosphate and oxalate calculi to increase, and uric and infectious calculi to decrease. The changes observed may be due to dietary changes and improvement in the quality of life.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the therapeutic approach in epidermoid or squamous cell carcinoma of the scrotum, a rare tumor that is of interest for clinical and historical reasons. METHODS/RESULTS: A case of epidermoid carcinoma of the scrotum is described. The patient had undergone urethroplasty in 1972, using preputial free graft, according to the technique of Ben Johnson. Right scrotectomy and orchidectomy were performed and partial urethrectomy with inguinal lymphadenectomy 6 weeks later. At 24 months' follow-up, the patient has no tumor recurrence. CONCLUSION: Malignant tumors of the scrotum are rare. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most frequent tumor type. Radical surgery with inguinal lymphadenectomy is the treatment of choice. It must be distinguished from verrucous carcinoma, a tumor that requires a different therapeutic approach and for which radical surgery is not indicated.
W. H. Wollaston, who first described cystine stones, as well as the most outstanding contemporary figures and their contribution to the understanding of this uncommon type of lithiasis are described.
OBJECTIVE: A case of extravesical leiomyoma that had been incidentally discovered in a patient presenting with unspecific pelvic pain is described. METHODS/RESULTS: A 51-year-old male patient consulted for unspecific pelvic pain. Patient evaluation disclosed a well-defined mass. A partial cystectomy was performed. Pathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of leiomyoma of the bladder. CONCLUSIONS: Mesenchymal tumors of the urinary bladder are rare and account for 1%-5% of all bladder tumors. Leiomyoma is the most common benign non-epithelial tumor. The symptoms caused by this tumor type is varied, unspecific and in most of the cases depends on its location (intravesical, intramural or extramural). Treatment is by surgery, which achieves excellent results.