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H Van Poppel

Publications and source records attributed to H Van Poppel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Transrectal ultrasound in the staging of clinical T3a prostate cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The clinical staging of T3a prostate cancer is usually based on digital rectal examination (DRE). Overstaging of clinical T3a prostate cancer is present in 13-27% of the cases presented and understaging is in the range of 30%. The value of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) as a staging tool is not generally accepted. The purpose of this study is to determine whether TRUS can refine the local staging in unilateral clinical T3a (cT3a) prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1987 and 2004, 200 patients were staged as unilateral cT3a prostate cancer by DRE. All patients underwent radical prostatectomy and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy. Preoperative TRUS staging was performed for all patients. Final histopathological staging was compared with DRE and TRUS staging. The operable group (OG) was defined as T2 to unilateral T3a, and the advanced group (AG) was defined as bilateral T3a to T4. RESULTS: All DRE patients were assumed operable. However, in this group histopathology showed 27.0% of the patients had advanced disease. TRUS confirmed 184 patients to be operable (140 having unilateral cT3a, 44 patients having cT1c to cT2). Sixteen patients were considered to have advanced disease by TRUS. Importantly, in this group, 68.7% of the cases were indeed confirmed to have advanced disease by histopathology. CONCLUSION: TRUS can be used to refine clinical staging in unilateral cT3a prostate cancer. In cases where TRUS indicates advanced disease, it might be wise to trust the TRUS staging, rather than the DRE.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Salvage radical prostatectomy for radiorecurrent prostate cancer: indications and results.

AIMS: A rise in the incidence of radiorecurrent prostate cancer is to be expected, since approximately one third of early prostate cancer cases are nowadays treated with a radiotherapy modality. One possibility in treating radiorecurrent prostate cancer is salvage prostatectomy. Our objective was to look into our own experience with salvage radical prostatectomy and to analyse outcome and morbidity. METHODS: A computer search through our hospital database identified 11 patients who underwent a salvage radical prostatectomy for radiorecurrent cancer over the last 15 years. All data were retrospectively analysed and confronted with the literature. RESULTS: Although the surgery was mostly difficult, there were no intraoperative complications. Bladder neck stricture is the most common postoperative complication (18%). Continence rates are worse than in classical radical prostatectomy. All patients lost potency, since no attempt was made to spare the neurovascular bundles. With a mean follow-up of 6.9 years, biochemical disease-free survival rates was 55%, while overall and cancer-specific survival was 91%. CONCLUSION: While most patients with radiorecurrent prostate cancer will be treated by many experts with hormonal therapy, a salvage radical prostatectomy can give a second chance for cure in carefully selected patients.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Radical prostatectomy for locally advanced prostate cancer: results of a feasibility study (EORTC 30001).

The aim of this open, non-randomised, 2-stage feasibility study was to determine whether radical prostatectomy (RP) was safe and could provide cure for good prognosis patients with clinical T3 prostate cancer, in a multicentre setting. Cure was defined as a 3 months post-operative of undetectable serum PSA in combination with the presence of pathologically negative margins in the surgical specimen. Forty patients were enrolled of whom 38 were eligible. Six patients (5 pN+ and 1 pNx) did not meet the inclusion criteria and were excluded leaving 32 evaluable pN0 patients of whom 19 (59.4%, SE=4.26) achieved a complete response (CR) and in whom only two serious toxic events (STEs) were observed. The results of the first phase of the study passed the toxicity criteria (<3 STE's) but failed on the cure rate (>20 CRs). This resulted in discontinuation of the study after the first stage. The main reason for failure was the incidence of positive margins in the resected specimen. Although the study was stopped after the first phase, 28 of the 32 pN0 patients (87.5%) had undetectable serum PSA at 3 months. We continue to believe that RP with extensive resection can be beneficial as monotherapy for T3aN0M0 prostate cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Emerging role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the treatment of advanced renal cell cancer: a review.

Advanced and metastatic renal cell cancer (RCC) is resistant to conventional chemotherapy. Only a very small number of patients survive long term after immunotherapy. However, any effect of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and/or interferon on median overall survival is small, and treatment-associated toxicities may be severe. The disease is therefore an area of high unmet medical need. Activation of the VEGF and EGF/RAS/RAF/MAP kinase pathways is frequent in solid tumours such as RCC. Such activation is implicated in tumour angiogenesis and proliferation. VEGF and EGF receptors and molecules (such as RAF kinase) involved in downstream signalling are therefore potential appropriate targets for drug therapy. Several antibodies and low molecular weight tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have completed phase II clinical trials. Phase II studies of multitargeted agents, which include inhibition of VEGFR tyrosine kinase in their repertoire (sorafenib, sunitinib and AG 013736), show clear second-line activity in metastatic RCC. The same is true of the anti-VEGF antibody, bevacizumab. In a randomised phase III comparison against placebo in pretreated patients, sorafenib doubled median progression free survival (24 versus 12 weeks). Studies now in progress will determine whether benefits seen second-line will also be evident first-line, and whether the activity of novel agents can be increased by combining them with each other, with cytokines, or with chemotherapy.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed2006

[Indications and techniques in urethrectomy].

The indications for urethrectomy during cystectomy for bladder cancer have substantially changed during the last years. Many years ago, prophylactic urethrectomy was performed in most patients undergoing cutaneous diversion. Today, transitional cell carcinoma at the level of the prostatic urethra or at the bladder neck is recognized to be the most important risk factor of urethral recurrence. Since the development of bladder substitutions, the indications for prophylactic urethrectomy have been dramatically reduced. Pre - and intra operative evaluation of the prostatic urethra in men and that of the bladder neck in women is the major determinant in the appropriate treatment strategy for the urethra in patients with bladder cancer.

Carcinoma, Transitional Cell↗
PubMed2005

FDG-PET for preoperative staging of bladder cancer.

PURPOSE: The presence of lymph node involvement (N) and distant metastasis (M) in patients with invasive bladder carcinoma is a major determinant of survival and, therefore, a pivotal element in the therapeutic management. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the use of( 18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in this indication. METHODS: Whole-body FDG-PET and computed tomography (CT) were performed in 55 patients with non-metastatic invasive bladder cancer for preoperative staging. Correlative imaging of PET with CT was performed, leading to a PET(CT) result. The imaging results were compared with the gold standard, consisting of histopathology (lymphadenectomy, guided biopsy) or clinical follow-up for 12 months, and related to overall survival using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: The gold standard was available in 40 patients and indicated NM-positive disease in 15 patients (12 N lesions, 8 M lesions), and NM-negative disease in 25 patients. For the diagnosis of NM-positive disease, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of PET(CT) were 60%, 88% and 78%, respectively. Diagnostic discordances between PET(CT) and CT alone were found in 9/40 patients, among whom PET was correct in six (15%): three with true-positive and one with true-negative distant metastases, and two with true-negative lymph nodes. Median survival time of patients in whom PET(CT) indicated NM-positive disease was 13.5 months, compared with 32.0 months in the patients with a NM-negative PET(CT) (p=0.003). CONCLUSION: Addition of metabolism-based information provided by FDG-PET to CT in the preoperative staging of invasive bladder carcinoma yields a high diagnostic and prognostic accuracy.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Quality assurance issues in radical prostatectomy.

AIMS: Quality of surgery is a controversial issue and no studies are reporting on the standard of surgical quality in the treatment of urological cancer. The question is whether quality can be evaluated and whether there is a standard for a qualitatively well performed radical retropubic prostatectomy. METHODS: We reviewed the literature on this topic. Data of four large studies based on Medicare claims and an EORTC report were analysed. RESULTS: Two studies reflect hospital-volume rather than surgeon-volume. Two compared hospital-volume and surgeon-volume and in both studies there was no clear relationship between surgeon-volume and the parameters reviewed. Similarly, the EORTC study concluded that there is a variation in outcome that is not related to the caseload and proposed minimal quality standards for radical prostatectomy. CONCLUSIONS: There is no clear relationship between surgeon-volume and surgical quality. Since radical prostatectomy is the standard treatment for the most frequent male malignancy and is offered to many patients that might never even suffer from the disease, the procedure must be performed with the highest guarantee of quality. Although, quality control of radical prostatectomy is feasible, its implementation will still require an enormous effort from the urological community.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed2005

Clinical experience with the N-shaped ileal neobladder: assessment of complications, voiding patterns, and quality of life in our series of 58 patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess complications, voiding patterns, and quality of life in patients with an orthotopic bladder substitution, using an N-shaped ileal neobladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 1996 and December 2002, 58 patients (52 men and 6 women) underwent an orthotopic ileal neobladder reconstruction after radical cystectomy. The mean age was 47 for the female and 60 for the male patients. In all patients an N-shaped ileal pouch was constructed. This pouch has not yet been described in the literature before. All procedures were performed by the same surgeon (HVP) and the mean follow-up was 38 months. Complications were registered as early (occurring within 3 months) or late (occurring after 3 months), and as pouch-related and non-pouch-related. The patients took part in a pelvic floor re-education programme for as long as they were incontinent. All patients completed a retrospective Quality of Life questionnaire, based on the QLQ-C30 questionnaire, which was validated by the EORTC's Study Group on Quality of Life. RESULTS: In 38% of the patients, early complications occurred, whereas 48% had late complications. The most frequent early complications were diarrhea (24%) and pyelonephritis (9%). Diarrhea was again the most frequently mentioned non-pouch-related complication (19%). The most frequently observed pouch-related late complication was ileo-urethral stenosis. This occurred in five patients. All of these 5 patients were re-operated using a minimally invasive approach. Daytime continence was achieved in 95% of patients and nighttime continence in 66%. Hyper-continence with subsequent need for CISC was observed in 5 out of 6 women (83%) and 0 out of 52 men (0%). The retrospective QoL questionnaire learned that the impact of bladder removal and orthotopic bladder substitution has acceptable impact on patient's everyday life. Diarrhea was mentioned as being the most discomforting complication by most of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: We describe a modified orthotopic ileal neobladder: the ileal N-pouch. The functional results with this pouch are good. Complication rates and QoL are comparable with the larger series published by other authors, using different ileal neobladder reconstructions.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Recent docetaxel studies establish a new standard of care in hormone refractory prostate cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) has generally aimed at increasing symptom free survival in asymptomatic patients and improving quality of life in symptomatic patients. However, recent randomized studies might be shifting the paradigm towards achieving an improved overall survival. METHODS: Two large randomized controlled studies were conducted using mitoxantrone plus prednisone as a control arm compared to docetaxel-based regimens. RESULTS: In the TAX 327 trial, 3-weekly docetaxel plus prednisone proved significantly superior to mitoxantrone plus prednisone (an established reference regimen) in extending survival, reducing levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), controlling pain and improving quality of life. The Southwest Oncology Group's study (protocol 99-16) randomized patients to either docetaxel plus estramustine or mitoxantrone plus prednisone. Compared with the mitoxantrone regimen, docetaxel plus estramustine significantly extended median overall survival and time to progression. Men treated with the docetaxel regimen were also more likely to have a PSA response. In this study, the two regimens were similarly effective in relieving pain. CONCLUSION: These studies have an important impact on the management strategy of hormone refractory prostate cancer. Docetaxel is the first agent shown significantly to extend survival in HRPC. Although this proven benefit must be balanced against toxicity, docetaxel should now be considered the standard of care for most patients that fail first-line or more hormonal manipulations. Drug combinations which may further extend survival and improve quality of life are actively being pursued, as is the possibility of using docetaxel in the adjuvant setting.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Efficacy and tolerability of radiotherapy as treatment for bicalutamide-induced gynaecomastia and breast pain in prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of localised radiotherapy for the treatment of bicalutamide ('Casodex''Casodex' is a trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies.)-induced gynaecomastia and/or breast pain. METHODS: This open-label, non-comparative, multicentre study included 51 patients receiving bicalutamide 150 mg for the treatment of non-metastatic prostate cancer (T1b-T4, Nx, M0). Patients who developed symptomatic gynaecomastia and/or breast pain received two 6-Gy fractions of external-beam radiation to the breasts and were then assessed at two 3-monthly follow-up visits. RESULTS: 37/51 (72.5%) patients experienced gynaecomastia and 41/51 (80.4%) experienced breast pain, typically within the first 6 months. Twenty seven and 38 patients, respectively, went on to receive breast irradiation. Following radiotherapy, gynaecomastia improved or resolved in 7/27 (25.9%) and 2/27 (7.4%) cases, respectively, and breast pain improved or resolved in 12/38 (31.6%) and 3/38 (7.9%) cases, respectively. No change was observed in 7 patients (25.9%) with gynaecomastia and 12 patients (31.6%) with breast pain, while 9 patients (33.3%) and 8 patients (21.1%), respectively, worsened. Radiotherapy-related adverse events, reported by 18/41 (43.9%) patients, were generally mild and short lived (median duration approximately 5 weeks). CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic radiotherapy, using two fractions of 6 Gy external-beam radiation to the male breast, improves the intensity of bicalutamide-induced gynaecomastia and/or breast pain in approximately one-third of patients. Adverse events were often mild and short lived.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2004

Randomized Phase II trial assessing estramustine and vinblastine combination chemotherapy vs estramustine alone in patients with progressive hormone-escaped metastatic prostate cancer.

Based on the results of combined data from three North American Phase II studies, a randomised Phase II study in the same patient population was performed, using combination chemotherapy with estramustine phosphate (EMP) and vinblastine (VBL) in hormone refractory prostate cancer patients. In all, 92 patients were randomised into a Phase II study of oral EMP (10 mg kg day continuously) or oral EMP in combination with intravenous VBL (4 mg m(2) week for 6 weeks, followed by 2 weeks rest). The end points were toxicity and PSA response in both groups, with the option to continue the trial as a Phase III study with time to progression and survival as end points, if sufficient responses were observed. Toxicity was unexpectedly high in both treatment arms and led to treatment withdrawal or refusal in 49% of all patients, predominantly already during the first treatment cycle. The mean treatment duration was 10 and 14 weeks, median time to PSA progression was 27.2 and 30.8 weeks, median survival time was 44 and 50.9 weeks, and PSA response rate was only 24.6 and 28.9% in the EMP/VBL and EMP arms, respectively. There was no correlation between PSA response and survival. While the PSA response in the patients tested was less than half that recorded in the North American studies, the toxicity of EMP monotherapy or in combination with VBL was much higher than expected. Further research on more effective and less toxic treatment strategies for hormone refractory prostate cancer is mandatory.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2004

Handling and pathology reporting of renal tumor specimens.

The gold standard in the treatment of renal tumors is radical or partial nephrectomy. The surgical specimen handling is important since the pathologic features result in clinico-pathologic knowledge that determines prognosis, additional treatment and scientific studies. The correct handling of the specimen by urologists and pathologists becomes very basic in order to enable retrieval of a maximum of information. This protocol aims at standardization of the minimal criteria for handling, cellular subtyping, grading, staging and margin evaluation that must allow the comparison among the different scientific groups.

Humans↗
PubMed2004

Handling and pathology reporting of adrenal gland specimens.

Proper treatment of resection specimens by the urologist and pathologist is critical in accurately reporting tumors and tumor-like nodules of the adrenal gland. Clinically inapparent adrenal masses are discovered, with increasing frequency, in the course of diagnostic testing or treatment for conditions that are not related to adrenal diseases. As a consequence an increasing number of relatively small tumors lacking the characteristic gross features of malignancy is detected. There is a need for identification of pathological findings that can improve the diagnostic accuracy and predict patient outcome. The aim of this paper is to review the handling and pathology reporting of adrenal gland specimens in the light of recent advances in this field of pathology.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed2004

Cytoreductive nephrectomy in patients with metastatic renal cancer: a combined analysis.

PURPOSE: Metastatic renal cancer is associated with a poor prognosis. Recent advances in immunotherapy for this problem have rekindled interest in cytoreductive nephrectomy. We report a combined analysis of 2 prospective randomized trials that used an identical study protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 331 patients were randomized to 2 identical protocols comparing cytoreductive nephrectomy plus interferon alpha-2b vs interferon alpha-2b alone in patients with metastatic renal cancer, in whom the primary tumor was present and believed to be resectable. The primary end point for each trial was overall survival with a secondary end point of the response rate. Patients were stratified at pre-randomization by performance status (0 or 1), site of metastases (lung only vs other) and disease measurability. All results were analyzed by intent to treat criteria. Assuming a median survival of 1 year for interferon only, the Southwest Oncology Group trial was designed to detect a 50% improvement in median survival duration and a 15% improvement in response rate with a power of 0.85. The European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer accrued an additional 80 patients in that study. RESULTS: The combined analysis of these 2 trials yielded a median survival of 13.6 months for nephrectomy plus interferon vs 7.8 months for interferon alone. This difference represents a 31% decrease in the risk of death (p = 0.002). There was no evidence of a difference in the size of the treatment effect according to pre-randomization stratification factors. CONCLUSIONS: Cytoreductive nephrectomy appears to improve significantly overall survival in patients with metastatic renal cancer treated with interferon immunotherapy independent of patient performance status, the site of metastases and the presence of measurable disease. Although it is highly statistically significant, the overall survival advantage is only 5.8 months for the entire group. These data emphasize the need to determine if this survival advantage can be further improved using more aggressive immunotherapy or other novel agents in the setting of cytoreductive nephrectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Long-term efficacy and predictive factors of full spectrum therapy for nocturnal enuresis.

PURPOSE: We determine the effect and predictive factors of relapse 1 year after combination therapy of an enuresis alarm, bladder training, motivational therapy and retention control training for nocturnal enuresis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 68 of 77 children the relapse rate 1 year after full spectrum therapy for nocturnal enuresis was investigated. Gender, age, sleep arousal, family history, monosymptomatic, bladder capacity, overactive bladder, nighttime polyuria, duration of treatment, over learning and psychosocial factors were investigated. RESULTS: The relapse rate during the whole year was 50%, with 33.8% of subjects being dry and 16.2% sometimes wet. The relapse rate after 1 year was 16%. Nine patients could not be reached and, thus, were considered dropouts. Only overactive bladder and psychosocial problems were significantly related to relapse. CONCLUSIONS: The relapse rate during the year was high while the relapse rate after 1 year was low. Psychosocial problems and overactive bladder were the only 2 predictive factors for relapse.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Potency after unilateral nerve sparing surgery: a report on functional and oncological results of unilateral nerve sparing surgery.

The objective of the study was to evaluate unilateral nerve sparing prostate surgery. Patient files of men who underwent unilateral nerve sparing radical prostatectomy were analyzed retrospectively after a minimum follow-up period of 18 months. Of 46 patients who received unilateral nerve sparing surgery, 14 (30.4%) regained full potency after surgery. In 92.9% of these patients, recovery occurred within a period of 18 months. Age is the single most important factor in the recuperation of potency after unilateral nerve sparing surgery. Most of the patients (84.8%) reported the ability to achieve orgasm. Of eight patients with positive section margins, two had positive section margins at the spared side only. Unilateral nerve sparing surgery remains a feasible treatment option for prostate cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Is low-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia a risk factor for cancer?

INTRODUCTION: High-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) is generally accepted to be a precursor lesion of prostate cancer. The likely outcome of isolated low-grade PIN (LGPIN) lesions in prostate biopsies remains unclear. A follow-up study of 106 patients with LGPIN- and HGPIN lesions was performed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a 2-y period, 207 men were diagnosed with isolated PIN on standard systematic sextant biopsy of the prostate. In total, 104 patients had LGPIN and 103 had HGPIN. No patients had ever received androgen deprivation therapy, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. In all, 106 patients who underwent repeat second or third sextant biopsies were analysed in the study; 30% of these patients received a selenium-vitamin E supplement for at least 6 months. RESULTS: In total, 43 had LGPIN and 63 HGPIN on the first biopsy. The mean age was 63.5 y (range 46-77) in the LGPIN group and 64.9 y in the HGPIN group. The mean total PSA was 6.96 ng/ml (range 0.59-34.13) in the LGPIN group and 8.44 ng/ml (range 0.59-35.3) in the HGPIN group. In the LGPIN group, 30% of the patients had cancer in at least one of the repeat biopsy cores. In the HGPIN group, 27% had cancer in at least one of the repeat biopsy cores. The mean total PSA of patients who had cancer in repeat biopsies with LGPIN was 7.84 ng/ml (range 2.92-34.13). The mean total PSA of the patients who had cancer in repeat biopsy in the HGPIN was 6.73 ng/ml (range 0.56-25). There was no significant difference in PSA and pathological stage between those patients who did and those who did not receive selenium-vitamin E supplements. CONCLUSIONS: These data are intriguing since the risk of finding prostate carcinoma on repeat sextant biopsy in the LGPIN group is 30%. This is higher than commonly reported. The importance of recognising and re-biopsying HGPIN was confirmed. If chemoprevention could be shown to be effective, it might be beneficial not only in HGPIN but also in LGPIN. The possible activity of chemopreventive agents and their combination with iso-flavonoids needs further investigation.

Aged↗