Biomedical subjects

Luigi Da Pozzo

Publications and source records attributed to Luigi Da Pozzo.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A reappraisal of the role of vesicourethral anastomosis biopsy in patient candidates for salvage radiation therapy after radical prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To investigate the usefulness of vesicourethral anastomotic biopsy (VUBx) in patients who are candidates for salvage radiotherapy (SalvRT) after radical prostatectomy (RRP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: From 1992 to 2001, 98 patients with a PSA failure (PSAf) after RRP underwent SalvRT to the prostatic bed (median dose 70 Gy). In 50/98 patients the VUBx was positive, in 26 negative; 22 patients underwent SalvRT without a prior VUBx. The prognostic impact on biochemical disease-free survival (bNEDs) of histologic confirmation of the local failure was evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: In the 40 patients with pre-RT PSA < or = 0.9 ng/mL, no additional prognostic information derived from the VUBx, while, for higher PSA values, a positive histology resulted as a covariate independently predictive of post-RT outcome (5-year bNEDs: 74% vs 42% in the 35 and 23 patients with a positive or negative/not performed VUBx, respectively, P=.03), together with pT, pre-RT PSA < or = 1.5 ng/mL, and PSA doubling time. CONCLUSIONS: In case of PSAf after RRP, VUBx before SalvRT seems unnecessary for PSA < or = 0.9 ng/mL. For higher values, a positive VUBx seems to always justify a SalvRT, which may not be recommendable, given the nonnegligible risk of an already micrometastatic disease, if the biopsy results are negative.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

A prospective randomized EORTC intergroup phase 3 study comparing the complications of elective nephron-sparing surgery and radical nephrectomy for low-stage renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: This study compared the complications and the cancer control of elective nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) and radical nephrectomy (RN) in patients with a small (<or=5 cm), solitary, low-stage N0 M0 tumour suspicious for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and a normal contralateral kidney. METHODS: 541 patients were randomised in a prospective, multicentre, phase 3 trial to undergo NSS (n=268) or RN (n=273) together with a limited lymph node dissection. RESULTS: This publication reports only on the complications reported for both surgical methods. The rate of perioperative blood loss<0.5l was slightly higher after RN (96.0% vs. 87.2%) and the rate of severe haemorrhage was slightly higher after NSS (3.1% vs. 1.2%). Ten patients (4.4%), all of whom were treated with NSS, developed urinary fistulas. Pleural damage (11.5% for NSS vs. 9.3% for RN) and spleen damage (0.4% for NSS and 0.4% for RN) were observed with similar rates in both groups. Postoperative computed tomography scanning abnormalities were seen in 5.8% of NSS and 2.0% of RN patients. Reoperation for complications was necessary in 4.4% of NSS and 2.4% of RN patients. CONCLUSIONS: NSS for small, easily resectable, incidentally discovered RCC in the presence of a normal contralateral kidney can be performed safely with slightly higher complication rates than after RN. The oncologic results are eagerly awaited to confirm that NSS is an acceptable approach for small asymptomatic RCC.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Patients at high risk of progression after radical prostatectomy: do they all benefit from immediate post-operative irradiation? (EORTC trial 22911).

EORTC trial 22911 demonstrated that immediate postoperative irradiation significantly improved biochemical failure free survival (BPFS) compared to wait-and-see (W and S) until relapse in patients with pT2-3 tumours and pathological risk factors after radical prostatectomy. In this study, we have investigated the heterogeneity of the treatment benefit across defined subgroups of patients. Data from 972 patients were used. A risk model was developed in the W and S group and the Log-rank test for heterogeneity was applied (alpha=0.05). Positive surgical margin (SM+), seminal vesicle invasion (SV+), WHO differentiation grade, pre- and post-operative PSA were independent predictors for BPFS in the W and S group. Men with SV+ were at higher risk of relapse whereas those with SM+ but no capsule infiltration (ECE-) did not seem to differ from those with SM-ECE+ or with SM+ECE+. Postoperative irradiation improved biochemical progression-free survival in all patient groups. Longer follow-up is needed to assess the endpoint of clinical progression-free survival.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Role of postoperative radiotherapy after pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy: a single institute experience of 415 patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical benefit deriving from early (within 6 months) radiotherapy (ERT) after pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy for localized/locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the prostate in a single-institution series. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively analyzed 415 patients who underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy between 1986 and 1998 for pT2b-pT4, pN0-pN1 prostate carcinoma. Of the 415 patients, 237 underwent ERT for adverse pathologic findings and 178 patients did not receive RT or underwent salvage RT < or =6 months (salvage or no RT [SNRT]). RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 62 months, the 8-year actuarial freedom from biochemical, local and systemic failure, and cause-specific survival rate was 69% vs. 31% (p <0.0001, log-rank), 93% vs. 63% (p <0.0001), 88% vs. 75% (p = 0.04), and 93% vs. 80% (p = 0.02) in the ERT and SNRT group, respectively. A subgroup analysis indicated that an improvement in 8-year actuarial cause-specific survival was associated with ERT in patients with positive resection margins (91% vs. 67%, p = 0.007), extracapsular extension (92% vs. 75%, p = 0.002), Gleason score > or =7 (88% vs. 72%, p = 0.02), and lymph node metastases (88% vs. 68%, p = 0.04). This strong association between ERT and cause-specific survival persisted at multivariate analysis in the whole group of patients examined (hazard ratio, 4.3) and in the subgroups of patients with extracapsular extension (hazard ratio, 4.9), positive resection margins (hazard ratio, 4.7), Gleason score > or =7 (hazard ratio, 4.4), and lymph node metastases (hazard ratio, 7.4). CONCLUSION: The results of this retrospective analysis indicate that ERT after pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy improved the 5-year and actuarial 8-year cause-specific survival of patients with adverse pathologic findings such as extracapsular extension, positive resection margins, Gleason score > or =7, and/or positive lymph nodes.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Multiple vesico-urethral biopsies following radical prostatectomy: the predictive roles of TRUS, DRE, PSA and the pathological stage.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to verify the predictive role of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) of prostatic fossa, digital rectal examination (DRE), prostate specific antigen (PSA) and pathological stage after radical prostectomy in the detection of a prostate tumor recurrence at the level of the vesico-urethral anastomosis by means of multiple TRUS biopsies (6-8 cores). MATERIAL AND METHODS: From October 1997, following a radical prostatectomy, 119 consecutive patients (median age: 67.9 years) with a PSA>or=0.2 ng/ml (median PSA: 0.9 ng/ml) underwent DRE and TRUS examinations with a 5.0-7.5 MHz variable frequency end-fire probe (Hitachi Medical System) and an EUB-525 machine. All patients received six TRUS-guided biopsies of the vesico-urethral anastomosis, and 1-2 additional biopsies directed to hypo-echoic or suspicious areas, if detected by TRUS. RESULTS: Biopsies revealed recurrent carcinoma in 50% of patients (60/119). TRUS proved more sensitive than DRE (75% vs. 50%; p=0.01) and, conversely, DRE proved more specific than a TRUS (85% vs. 66%; p=0.03). Cancer was detected in 45% of the 34 patients with a PSA or=2.0 ng/ml (24 patients), TRUS was able to detect every biopsy-proven local recurrence lesion (sensitivity: 100%). Conversely, all patients with a PSA>or=2.0 ng/ml and a negative TRUS had a negative biopsy (negative predictive value: 100%). In a multi-variable logistical analysis, the most predictive parameters determining a positive biopsy rate among those values studied (PSA, DRE, TRUS, positive surgical margins, pathological stage and time to PSA elevation) were TRUS and DRE findings (p=0.003, with an odds ratio of 4.6 and p=0.02, with an odds ratio of 4.1, respectively). CONCLUSION: TRUS and TRUS biopsies utilizing 6-8 cores are efficient tools in the detection of local recurrence after a radical prostatectomy, even with a PSA or=2.0 ng/ml and a negative TRUS, a biopsy of the vesico-urethral anastomosis could be avoided since the negative predictive value is 100%. Cancer recurrence detection seems to be predicted by TRUS and DRE findings, but not by PSA levels, pathological stage, status of the surgical margins or time to PSA elevation.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

[Diagnostic value of ultrasound-guided anastomotic biopsies in patients with high PSA (> or = 0,4 ng/ml) after radical prostatectomy].

OBJECTIVES: The authors report their experience on the use of a high number of biopsies for the diagnosis of a vesicourethral anastomosis tumor recurrence in patients who underwent radical prostatectomy with a PSA elevation. METHODS: Sixty-five patients with PSA > or = 0.4 ng/ml after radical prostatectomy received 6 to 8 transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided biopsies of the vesicourethral anastomosis. RESULTS: The biopsy scheme with 6 random anastomotic biopsies plus additional biopsies through TRUS detectable lesions was able to diagnose a local recurrence in more than 60% of the cases. In presence of a post-operative PSA < 1.0 ng/ml and in absence of ultrasound detectable or palpable lesions a local neoplastic recurrence was detected in 58% of the cases. In presence of a palpable or ultrasound visible lesions, the detection rate increases to 80% of the cases.

Biopsy↗

PubMed2002

[Role of prostate fossa ultrasonography in the diagnosis of local recurrence after radical prostatectomy in case of PSA failure].

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to verify the diagnostic accuracy of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) of vesico-urethral anastomosis in patients with PSA elevation (> or = 0.2 ng/mL) after radical prostatectomy, who received 4-6 random anastomotic biopsies of the prostatic fossa plus additional biopsies directed to TRUS detectable lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Since 1992 up to now, 102 patients (mean age: 68.3 +/- 5.4 years) with PSA elevation after radical prostatectomy underwent TRUS of the vesico-urethral anastomosis and 4-6 TRUS-guided random biopsies plus 1-2 additional biopsies directed to TRUS detectable lesions. Pathologic stage was B (ASS classification) in 60% of cases, C in 36% and D in 4% (patients without hormonal treatment who underwent TRUS-guided biopsy because of TRUS detectable or palpable lesion). RESULTS: The mean PSA at biopsy time was 2.1 +/- 4.6 (SD) ng/mL (range: 0.2-31.6 ng/mL) with median PSA of 0.9 ng/mL. DRE was positive in 37% of cases, while TRUS was positive in 73%. Recurrent adenocarcinoma was detected in 51% of all patients and in 45% (26/57) of patients with PSA < 1.0 ng/mL. TRUS sensitivity was higher (80%) than DRE (50%), but specificity was lower (37% vs 81%). The positive predictive value of TRUS detectable lesion was 60%. TRUS sensitivity and specificity increase with PSA elevation and sonographic aspects of prostatic fossa are statistically correlated with histology when PSA > 1.2 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: TRUS of the vesico-urethral anastomosis seems to be more sensitive but less specific than DRE for prostatic cancer local recurrence. More than half of TRUS detectable lesions is positive at biopsy. TRUS and TRUS-guided biopsy accuracy are directly correlated with PSA elevation.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Postoperative radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy: a randomised controlled trial (EORTC trial 22911).

BACKGROUND: Local failure after prostatectomy can arise in patients with cancer extending beyond the capsule. We did a randomised controlled trial to compare radical prostatectomy followed by immediate external irradiation with prostatectomy alone for patients with positive surgical margin or pT3 prostate cancer. METHODS: After undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy, 503 patients were randomly assigned to a wait-and-see policy, and 502 to immediate postoperative radiotherapy (60 Gy conventional irradiation delivered over 6 weeks). Eligible patients had pN0M0 tumours and one or more pathological risk factors: capsule perforation, positive surgical margins, invasion of seminal vesicles. Our revised primary endpoint was biochemical progression-free survival. Analysis was by intention to treat. FINDINGS: The median age was 65 years (IQR 61-69). After a median follow-up of 5 years, biochemical progression-free survival was significantly improved in the irradiated group (74.0%, 98% CI 68.7-79.3 vs 52.6%, 46.6-58.5; p<0.0001). Clinical progression-free survival was also significantly improved (p=0.0009). The cumulative rate of locoregional failure was significantly lower in the irradiated group (p<0.0001). Grade 2 or 3 late effects were significantly more frequent in the postoperative irradiation group (p=0.0005), but severe toxic toxicity (grade 3 or higher) were rare, with a 5-year rate of 2.6% in the wait-and-see group and 4.2% in the postoperative irradiation group (p=0.0726). INTERPRETATION: Immediate external irradiation after radical prostatectomy improves biochemical progression-free survival and local control in patients with positive surgical margins or pT3 prostate cancer who are at high risk of progression. Further follow-up is needed to assess the effect on overall survival.

Adenocarcinoma↗