[Guidelines for German urologists on diagnosis of benign prostate syndrome].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H Rübben.
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Today, the classical bacteria that cause venereal diseases, e.g. gonorrhea, syphilis, chancroid and inguinal granuloma, only account for a small proportion of all known sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Other bacteria and viruses as well as yeasts, protozoa and epizoa must also be regarded as causative organisms of STD. Taken together, all sexually transmitted infections comprise more than 30 relevant STD pathogens. However, not all pathogens that can be sexually transmitted manifest diseases in the genitals and not all infections of the genitals are exclusively sexually transmitted. Concise information and tables summarising the diagnostic and therapeutic management of STDs in the field of urology allow a synoptic overview, and are in agreement with the recent international guidelines of other specialist areas. Special considerations (i.e. HIV infection, pregnancy, infants, allergy) and recommended regimens are presented.
As urinary tract obstruction in children may impair renal function, the early detection and evaluation of the degree of obstruction using adequate diagnostic tools is necessary for the choice of the optimal therapeutic procedure. This study describes diagnostic and therapeutic standards in relation to the quality of management of pediatric hydronephrosis in Germany in the first 6 months of the year 2000. In our study 407 of 711 (57.2%) children with a hydronephrotic condition were detected by routine ultrasound. This, and the fact that 25% of the patients, who were prenatally detected, had a diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux, underlines the importance of this routine procedure. Our study illustrates the panel of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used in the management of pediatric hydronephrosis in Germany.
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The prevalence and incidence of cancer are age related; increased longevity thus increases the number of elderly patients with cancer. Only a few data suggest that en bloc radical cystectomy in patients with bladder cancer and radical prostatectomy in patients with prostate cancer can be safely performed on properly selected elderly patients (aged 70 years or older) with results comparable to those for younger patients. Due to the physiologic decline in renal function and hepatic drug metabolism in old age, chemotherapeutic agents show increasing toxicity in the elderly. The elderly remain underrepresented in clinical trials. In the absence of comprehensive data on treatment in the elderly, the belief persists that the elderly derive less benefit and suffer greater toxic effects from chemotherapy than younger patients.
This is a prospective randomized multicenter trial for evaluation of the biological response modifier Factor AF2 in advanced urothelial cancer treated with chemotherapy. Main aim of the study was the analysis of supportive effects. Additionally patients were examined with regard to tumor response, time to progression and survival. 106 patients with advanced urothelial cancer received chemotherapy with cisplatin and methotrexate. They were randomized for additional Factor AF2 (500 mg i.v., given at days 0-3, 7-10 and 11-14). Myelotoxicity was more common and severe in the group without Factor AF2 reaching statistical significance. Gastrointestinal side effects occurred in both groups, though grade III to IV toxicity was more common without Factor AF2. Overall remission rate was 38%, median survival 33 weeks, mean time to progression 20 weeks. There was no significant difference between the two groups with or without Factor AF2.
To develop new therapeutic strategies we examined the expression and signaltransduction of G protein-coupled receptors in a human transitional cell carcinoma cell line. The receptors for lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and thrombin potently stimulate cell migration. Pretreatment with PTX completely inhibited cell motility induced by LPA. In the model of chemically induced bladder carcinoma in rats the effects of intravesical instillation of PTX or phosphate buffered saline was examined. The incidence of G2-G3 cells in cytology was significantly reduced in rats treated with PTX. To ascertain the side effects of intravesical instillation of PTX a Phase I study was initiated. 15 patients were instilled with PTX at 5 dose levels (14-72 micrograms/100 ml) 3 times a week. Instillation of PTX up to 72 micrograms was without local or systemic side effects. PTX is a substance which potently inhibits tumor cell motility and progression. Intravesical treatment was well tolerated and therefore, the influence of PTX on local tumor should be evaluated in a Phase II study.
Non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) is conventionally treated with oral antibiotics. With this Phase II study, we investigated the action of a locally disinfecting substance, Instillagel, in symptomatic NGU. Instillation treatment was performed twice daily to 32 male patients with symptomatic NGU. To evaluate the therapeutic outcome, a smear was taken from the urethra and an urine examination was performed at baseline as well as at 5 and 8 days after the start of the treatment. Pain and micturition symptoms were determined by a questionnaire with analog scales taken before and after therapy. A pre/post comparison of the urethral smears of the patients with symptomatic NGU showed a significant difference (P < 0.0001). The microbial count in the urine did not show a significant difference. The symptoms micturition (P<0.0001) and pain in the urethra (P<0.0001) were significantly improved. This Phase II study confirmed that local antiseptic treatment of NGU can offer an alternative to systemic antibiotic treatment.
OBJECTIVE: To report a prospective phase II study of patients with disseminated peritoneal carcinomatosis and symptomatic disease, in whom the peritoneal metastases were resected. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1995 to 1999, 32 patients (20 men and 12 women, median age 56 years, range 32-75) with peritoneal carcinomatosis were enrolled in the trial. Pain and ascites were determined according to the National Cancer Institute score/criteria, and performance scored according to the World Health Organisation criteria. RESULTS: All patients had intraperitoneal disseminated malignancies with clinically evident ascites, and presented with abdominal pain. The median (range) operative duration was 2.9 (1-5.5) h and the hospital stay 25 (10-44) days, with no deaths at 30 days. The ascites was completely cured in 25 of the 32 patients, pain relieved in 28 and the performance score improved in 25. The median survival time was 1 year; the 1- and 2-year survival rates were 45% and 38%, respectively. Patients with residual metastases after incomplete resection had a significantly worse prognosis, but the prognosis was significantly better in those with a low tumour burden. CONCLUSIONS: Peritoneal carcinomatosis is treatable; radical peritonectomy improves the performance score in selected patients with cancer-related ascites and/or pain, and is now the standard approach in the authors' Cancer Centre.
BACKGROUND: To assess the efficacy and toxicity of repeated single 24-hour infusion of low-dose 5-fluorouracil for symptomatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer using relevant endpoints of palliation and biological response. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 25 patients with histologically confirmed prostatic adenocarcinoma and symptomatic progressive disease despite one or several hormonal treatments and chemotherapy were included in the study. Treatment consisted of a single 24-hour infusion of 500 mg/m(2) 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) to be repeated on day 21. This regimen was continued until either progression or serious toxicity occurred. Response was assessed by serial measurements of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as well as by health-related quality-of-life instruments (EORTC QLQ-C30 and McGill-Melzack Present Pain Intensity Scale) every 3 weeks. In 10 patients with bidimensionally measurable metastases, objective responses were assessed every 3 months. RESULTS: A mean number of four courses of repeated single 24-hour infusion of 5-FU was administered (range 2-6). Toxicity was absent or mild, and no patient had to be withdrawn from therapy. All patients required analgesics prior to treatment and only 3 patients experienced a significant reduction in pain for 9 weeks, the remaining patients experienced no deterioration for a mean duration of 12 weeks (6-18 weeks). Five patients (20%) demonstrated a biological response of a 50% or greater decrease in PSA from baseline, including 2 (12%) with a 75% or greater decline for 10 weeks (range 6-16 weeks). One partial remission was observed among 10 patients with measurable lesions lasting 12 weeks; 4 patients had stable disease with a mean duration of 12 weeks. Mean survival time from the onset of treatment with 5-FU was 7 months (2-12 months). CONCLUSIONS: Though less toxic than other 5-FU regimens, repeated single low-dose 24-hour infusion is of no significant benefit in patients with symptomatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
Hormonal treatment is a androgenoprive therapy. Adjuvant treatment after radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy seems to have no survival benefit. Neoadjuvant hormonal treatment before local therapy has no proven survival benefit. Hormonal treatment in metastatic disease can be initiated immediately, deferred or intermittent. Androgen-deprivation is performed by castration or LHRH-analoga and/or anti-androgens. Maximal androgen-deprivation has significant more side effect and is of only limited survival bebefit for a subgroup of patients. The onset of hormonal treatment is under discussion. An increase of PSA (> 25 ng/ml) and/or occurrence of symptoms is an indication for hormonal treatment. Intermittent androgen-deprivation is under investigation as a new concept.
BACKGROUND: To test whether saw palmetto extracts, which act as alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonists in vitro, also do so in vivo in man. METHODS: In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, four-way cross-over study 12 healthy young men were treated with three different saw palmetto extract preparations (320 mg o.d.) for 8 days each. On the last day, before and 2, 4 and 6 hr after drug intake blood pressure and heart rate were determined and blood samples obtained, which were used in an ex vivo radioreceptor assay with cloned human alpha1-adrenoceptor subtypes. RESULTS: Saw palmetto extract treatment did not result in alpha1-adrenoceptor subtype occupancy in the radioreceptor assay. Although the saw palmetto extracts caused minor reductions of supine blood pressure, they did not affect blood pressure during orthostatic stress testing and did not alter heart rate under either condition. Moreover, plasma catecholamines remained largely unaltered. CONCLUSIONS: Despite their alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist effects in vitro, therapeutically used doses of saw palmetto extracts do not cause alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonism in man in vivo.
To investigate the potential genetic changes underlying the progression of human hormone-resistant prostate cancer, we related chromosomal alterations of the DU 145 cell line and a subline isolated form a metastasis in an orthotopic model to tumorigenicity, metastasis and chemoresistance. In 15 mice 1 x 10(5) DU 145 cells were injected into the dorsal prostate. From a resulting paraaortic lymphnode metastasis, we isolated a subline (DU 145 MN1), which was injected into 15 nude mice. The sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay was used to analyze cell doubling time and the IC(50) of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil for both cell lines. Cytogenetic characterization was performed with conventional karyotype analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). After orthotopic implantation of DU 145 cells tumorigenicity was 100% whereas only 2 mice revealed lymphnode metastases. In contrast, the take rate after implantation of DU 145 MN1 was 100%, with lymphnode metastases in 7 mice. The SRB assay revealed a 8-fold increased IC(50) for cisplatin and a 2.5-fold increase for 5-FU in DU 145 MN1 as compared to DU 145 cells. There was gain of a chromosome 8 and only two copies of chromosome 17 in the DU 145 MN1 cells as compared to the parental cell line. The emergence of an i(9)(q10) in addition to two normal chromosome 9 homologues in the DU 145 MN1 cell line was confirmed by FISH using a chromosome 9-specific painting probe. In summary, clonal evolution of the chromosomal changes following repeated orthotopic implantation, may assist in locating the genes involved in the progression and chemoresistance of human hormone-resistant prostate cancer.
Erectile dysfunction is reported to be a complication of direct-vision internal urethrotomy by some authors in 2.2-10.6% of cases. It is caused by injury to the cavernous nerve by direct severance with the cutting blade, late fibrosis after extravasation and infection, or by a shunt between the corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum. The aim of this examination was to evaluate all internal urethrotomy patients from 1990 to 1999, regarding this kind of complication. Of 184 patients, 111 had to be excluded due to preexisting erectile dysfunction, malignancy, age over 75 years, or open surgery of the urethra before internal urethrotomy. Five patients died. Of 184,68 patients did not have erectile problems before the operation and only one complained about erectile dysfunction following direct-vision internal urethrotomy. Further examination showed an impaired arterial inflow in both arteriae penis profunda; cavernosography could not prove a shunt between the corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum. Erectile dysfunction is a possible complication of direct-vision internal urethrotomy. External sphincterotomy at the 3- and 9-o'clock position, urethrotomy after injury or open reconstructive surgery of the urethra, and urethrotomy of long and dense strictures as well as a dilatation over 22 Chr. are known to cause this complication. To inform the patient concerning this kind of complication is recommended before urethrotomy.
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The prognostic factors for infiltrating tumors established by the TNM system in 1997 include: Depth of infiltration, degree of differentiation, status of lymph nodes distant metastases. Of the additional factors investigated, only tumor size and hydronephrosis appear to be of prognostic significance. In the scope of molecular markers, the loss of expression of the epithelial cell-cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin signals an unfavorable clinical course. In cases of carcinoma of the urinary bladder without metastases (T2-4,N0,M0), radical cystectomy is the therapy of choice. A preceding neoadjuvant systemic regimen of chemotherapy with three cycles of M-VAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin, cisplatin) significantly improves the survival rate. In patients with locally advanced urinary bladder carcinoma, however, adjuvant systemic chemotherapy with M-VAC after cystectomy and lymphadenectomy offers no advantages for survival. Quality of life in patients with metastatic bladder cancer disease is improved by new cytotoxic drugs, i.e. gemcitabine or taxanes.
We initiated a prospective phase II trial to assess the outcome of complete surgical removal of metastases from bladder cancer with regard to survival and quality of life. Between 1995 and 1999, 70 patients (52 males, 18 females) with a median age of 64 years (range: 30-88 years) were treated with surgical complete resection of bladder cancer metastases. Patients with asymptomatic (n = 19) and symptomatic (n = 51) secondary metastases from bladder cancer refractory to methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (M-VAC) therapy were included. We removed secondary metastases in lymph nodes (63%), peritoneum (10%), skin (3%), bone (3%), lung (15%), and liver (6%) and measured survival and performance scores. The median survival time was 7 months. With a 1-year survival rate of 30% and a 2-year survival rate of 19%, the prognosis is unfavorable independent from the site of metastasis. However, 83% (42 of 51) of the patients with symptomatic secondary metastases did benefit from surgery regarding quality of life, e.g., performance score, and we assessed an improvement in the WHO performance score from 3.3 to 2.1 (p = 0.005). Surgical removal of metastases from bladder cancer refractory to systemic therapy has an impact on quality of life limited to patients with symptomatic disease.