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Arnauld Villers

Publications and source records attributed to Arnauld Villers.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[The epidemiology of prostate cancer].

Prostate cancer is a public health problem. Currently, it is the most frequent cause of cancer, and the second most common cause of cancer mortality, in men in most developed countries. Its incidence in France in 2000 is close to 40 000 new cases, a consistent increase of 7,9% per year. One man in 8 in France will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the course of his life. More than half of these cancers are diagnosed before 75 years, most often at a localized stage accessible to a curative treatment. The increasing practice of PSA testing and systematic prostatic biopsies are responsible for this rise in incidence. The mortality is stable at around 10 000 per year in France. Hereditary risk factors permit a definition of a target population for screening. Environmental factors are little known, but a diet rich in fat seems to be associated with a more elevated risk.

Age Factors↗

[Surgery of prostate cancer].

Radical prostatectomy is one of the standard treatment of localised prostate cancer. It is considered that cure is obtain if PSA value is undetectable (< 0,1 ng/mL) for at least 5 to 7 years post surgery. 8 to 9 men out of 10 are currently cured by prostatectomy if the cancer is detected at organ confined stage, with PSA < 10 ng/mL. Major technical progress related to patient setting, surgical approach, instrumentation, periprostatic fascial exposure and surgical strategy clearly decreased perioperative morbidity and late effects (erectile dysfunction and incontinence). Laparoscopic approach was described mainly by French teams since 1997 and represents a validated alternative to the gold standard suprapubic open approach.

Erectile Dysfunction↗

MUC6 is a marker of seminal vesicle-ejaculatory duct epithelium and is useful for the differential diagnosis with prostate adenocarcinoma.

The diagnosis of prostate adenocarcinoma is usually made on needle biopsies. Numerous benign lesions may mimic malignancy, especially when the focus of carcinoma is limited. The presence of seminal vesicle-ejaculatory duct epithelium on prostate biopsy is not rare and could cause confusion with adenocarcinoma. Lipochrome pigments are frequently encountered in seminal vesicle-ejaculatory duct but may be also seen in prostate adenocarcinoma. Prostate specific antigen immunostaining in difficult cases is sometimes used, but high-grade adenocarcinomas may be negative. In one previous report, MUC6 was found to be expressed in seminal vesicle but not in normal prostate. MUC6 belongs to the family of human mucin genes. So we investigated herein the immunohistochemical expression of MUC6 in prostate adenocarcinomas and seminal vesicle-ejaculatory duct. We have tested 30 prostate adenocarcinomas of various grade, 10 normal seminal vesicles, and 10 prostate adenocarcinomas invading the seminal vesicles. The tissues were fixed in 10% buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin. Immunohistochemistry was performed using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique. All adenocarcinomas and normal prostate structures tested were negative. In contrast, all seminal vesicles were diffusely immunostained with MUC6 antibody. We concluded that MUC6 is a valuable marker of seminal vesicle-ejaculatory duct and is useful for the differential diagnosis with prostate adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Long-term oncological results after conservative surgery for unifocal renal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of local recurrence and metastatic spread of renal cancer treated by conservative surgery with a minimum follow-up of 5 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients operated for renal cancer by conservative surgery in our department between November 1989 and March 1997 were included in this retrospective study and were submitted to annual follow-up. These patients presented conventional indications (solitary T1N0M0 tumours < 4 cm) or indications of necessity (all stages). RESULTS: The minimum follow-up was 5 years (range: 63-143 months; median: 90 months). This series comprised 30 partial nephrectomies, 15 performed for solitary T1N0M0 tumours < 4 cm, and conservative surgery was performed by necessity in 15 patients (10 patients with T1N0M0 tumours, 5 patients with T2 or M+ tumours). All tumours less than 4 cm on imaging were less than 4 cm on the operative specimen. In stage T1N0M0 tumours, the prediction of pathological stage by preoperative imaging was accurate in 24 out of 25 cases, with 24 pT1N0M0 and 1 pT3aN0M0 on final histology. The resection margins were negative in 29 out of 30 patients. One patients with a stage T2N0M+ tumour (7.5 cm in diameter) had a positive resection margin. Two out of 30 patients developed impaired renal function after surgery to a solitary kidney. Renal function at 3 months remained identical to preoperative renal function in all other patients. For 24 patients with pT1N0M0 tumours < 4 cm, the specific recurrence-free survival was 100% (median follow-up: 90 months; range: 63 to 143 months). Among the 6 patients with T2 or M+ tumours, 5 patients (84%) died from metastatic disease at 18, 22, 24, 28 and 54 months, while 1 patient (16%) was still alive without recurrence at 119 months. CONCLUSION: The indication for conservative surgery for T1N0M0 renal tumours < 4 cm is a validated treatment option for unifocal renal cancer. This series confirms the data reported in the literature with a minimum follow-up of 5 years. Stage pT3a tumours on postoperative diagnosis have a high risk of recurrence and metastatic spread, which may constitute an indication for secondary radical nephrectomy. Annual surveillance by imaging is essential.

Follow-Up Studies↗

[Prostate cancer screening].

Prostate cancer has become the most frequent cancer and the second cause of cancer mortality in men. This public health problem is becoming increasingly important due to the increasing life expectancy. At the present time, prostate cancer will be discovered in one in every eight men during their lifetime. Prostate cancer represents 25% of all new cases of male cancers. Prostate cancer screening is designed to detect early stage, asymptomatic prostate cancer, as the patient's chances of cure are higher when the cancer is diagnosed at an early stage. The conclusions of the ANAES evaluation in 1998 did not recommend mass screening for prostate cancer. Several international prospective randomized studies based on serum PSA assay, sometimes associated with digital rectal examination, are currently underway. France is participating in the European ERSPC study (European Randomized Study of Screening for Cancer Prostate) and is organizing a national study on high-risk populations. While waiting for the final results of these studies, a recommendation needs to be proposed to inform general practitioners and specialists about optimal use of the currently available tests. Based on the conclusions of its oncology committee (composed of urologists, medical oncologists, radiotherapists, pathologists and radiologists), the Association Française d'Urologie proposes a recommendation concerning prostate cancer screening and defines its modalities, especially concerning the target population, screening tests and the information given to men before screening. The Association Française d'Urologie recommends prostate cancer screening by PSA assay (prostate specific antigen) and digital rectal examination annually between the ages of 50 and 75 years, and from the age of 45 years in men with a family or ethnic risk. If total PSA is above the normal value of the test or if digital rectal examination is abnormal, referral to a urologist is recommended. Information concerning the limits, benefits and risks of screening and the available treatment options must be given before performing these examinations.

Humans↗

[Should scrotal ultrasound be discouraged in cases of suspected spermatic cord torsion?].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of scrotal ultrasound to guide the diagnosis of torsion of the spermatic cord. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study from January 1995 to June 2001. One hundred and sixty eight patients were admitted to the emergency department with an empirical diagnosis of torsion of the spermatic cord. Scrotal ultrasound was performed when there was a doubt about the diagnosis or in the presence of atypical clinical features. All patients underwent surgical exploration of the scrotum. Two groups were distinguished: torsion and no torsion. We evaluated the contribution of ultrasound signs. RESULTS: Scrotal ultrasound was performed in 66 cases (39%) and suggested the diagnosis of torsion in 30 cases and showed no signs of torsion in 36 cases. Seven of these 36 cases actually presented torsions confirmed by surgical exploration (false-negative), corresponding to a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 88%. The interval between arrival of the patient in the emergency department and scrotal exploration was 2.6-fold longer when scrotal ultrasound was performed (p < 0.001). Surgical exploration identified 99 torsions (59%). Orchidectomy had to be performed in 15 cases (15% of torsions). However, the need for orchidectomy was not significantly different according to whether or not scrotal ultrasound was performed (p = 0.08). CONCLUSION: As scrotal ultrasound gave false-negative results in 10% of cases and delayed surgery, we do not recommend this examination as an emergency investigation. Systematic surgical exploration of the scrotum in all cases of painful testis must be performed urgently without preoperative morphological assessment.

Adolescent↗

[Cost and efficacy of treatment strategies in localized prostatic cancer: feasibility study in the general population].

OBJECTIVE: Medico-economic studies are necessary to evaluate healthcare practices. The objective of this preliminary study is to show how this type of study can be conducted in the general population based on cancer registries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 122 cases of localized prostate cancer diagnosed in 1995 in the Tarn department were included in this study. A decisional tree of the main diagnostic strategies was elaborated. Direct medical and non-medical costs were considered from the payer's point of view and the 5-year survival was calculated. RESULTS: The costs of therapeutic management for radical prostatectomy, localized radiotherapy, endocrine therapy and watchful waiting were 55,468, 65,486, 72,211, and 13,929 French francs (8,533, 10,075, 11,109 and 2,143 euros) respectively. The observed 5-year survival was 89%, 84%, 75% and 79% respectively. CONCLUSION: This method can be applied to the CCAFU/FRANCIM cohort derived from 5 departments allowing comparisons between regions and healthcare sectors. The time-course could be determined by follow-up of a cohort of cancers diagnosed in 2001.

Aged↗

[Update on screening, diagnosis and treatment of cancer of the prostate].

Recent progress in management of prostate cancer concern screening and treatment. The use of PSA and rectal examination advances the diagnosis by 5 to 10 years and shift the stage at the time of diagnosis toward curative localized intraprostatic disease. The impact of systematic screening remains controversial. However, individual screening explains, at least in part, the decrease of specific mortality due to prostatic cancer, recently observed in USA. PSA and lymphadenectomy have also contributed to a better selection of patients referred for local treatment by prostatectomy or radiotherapy. Radical prostatectomy is recommended for patients before 70 with T2 or less, Gleason score less than 8 and PSA less than 15 ng/ml. With that selection, disease-free survival reaches 75 to 80% at 10 years. Recently, dramatic improvement in radiotherapy techniques have been achieved, leading to a better local control by increasing the dose over 70 Gy without additional toxicity. Brachytherapy is also widely used for good prognosis localized disease. Limitant acute urinary side effects have been reported and results seem similar to those reported after prostatectomy or conformal radiotherapy. Recent randomized trials have demonstrated a benefit of early hormonal therapy concurrent with radiotherapy for patients with poor prognosis localized disease. For hormonoresistant metastatic disease, chemotherapy has been used with limited palliative benefit. New drugs are currently evaluated.

Androgen Antagonists↗