Surgery versus radiotherapy for muscle invasive bladder cancer?
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Publications and source records attributed to M D Mason.
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Testicular germ-cell cancer is relatively rare, affecting less than 6 men per 100,000 in the UK, nevertheless, it is the most common cancer in men under 45 years. The two main types of tumours, seminomas and non-seminomas, respond to treatment differently. The standard treatment for stage I seminomas following orchidectomy is infradiaphragmatic lymph node irradiation with response rates approaching 100%, although surveillance is also a management option. The majority of early stage non-seminomas are cured by orchidedctomy alone. Bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin, (BEP) is the most widely used chemotherapeutic regimen for metastatic germ cell tumours. In patients with 'good prognosis' the current focus is to reduce the drug-related toxicity but maintain the cure potential. Most attempts using dose reduction or alternative regimens have not proved superior to BEP. In patients with 'poor prognosis' the aim has been to increase the efficacy of treatment using high-dose chemotherapy and investigate new regimens. This article comprehensively reviews the treatment of testicular germ cell cancer with emphasis on high-grade evidence from randomised controlled trials.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the treatment preferences of clinical oncologists for managing early prostate cancer and to compare the results with the preferences of urologists. METHODS: A postal questionnaire survey was conducted of consultant clinical oncologists in the UK. RESULTS: Consultant clinical oncologists favour radical radiotherapy in most men aged < 70 years, whereas a previous study showed that consultant urologists had a greater preference for radical surgery. CONCLUSION: There is little consensus about which treatment should be used for managing early prostate cancer. There is an urgent need for results from randomized clinical trials to determine the optimum treatment.
CD44 is a multifunctional cell surface adhesion molecule that has been implicated in tumour cell invasion and metastasis. Many cancer cell types as well as their metastases express high levels of CD44. Furthermore, the expression of certain CD44 variants has been linked with metastasis and tumour progression. It is known that ezrin, a member of the ERM family of proteins, can bind to CD44 and thus raises the possibility that it is involved in cell migration and metastasis. Therefore we examined the expression and distribution of CD44, its co-localisation and translocation with ezrin in prostate cancer cell lines as they interact with endothelial cells. Experimental results indicate prostate cancer cells express multiple CD44 isoforms that co-localise with ezrin in DU-145 and PC-3 prostate cancer cells. Treatment with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF/SF) resulted in up-regulation of CD44 and its co-translocation with ezrin during tumour-endothelial cell interactions. In addition, tumour cell adhesion to endothelial cells and their invasiveness was increased after exposure to HGF/SF, and can be blocked by the presence of anti-CD44 antibodies. It is concluded that CD44 and ezrin interact in endothelial cells and that they co-localise in the areas of tumour-endothelial contact. The CD44/ezrin complex plays a pivotal role in the capture and invasion of endothelial cells by prostate cancer cells.
Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) plays a crucial role in cancer cell migration, matrix adhesion, invasion, and angiogenesis, via the phosphorylation of the c-met tyrosine kinase. This study examined the ability of NK4, a recently discovered HGF/SF variant, to inhibit the influence of HGF/SF on cell-matrix interaction, paxillin phosphorylation, and invasion of prostate cancer cells. HGF/SF was shown to dramatically enhance tumour cell motility, invasion, cell-matrix adhesion, together with an increase in the degree of paxillin phosphorylation and formation of focal adhesion complexes. However, these HGF/SF-induced effects were suppressed by the presence of NK4. NK4 effectively inhibited the degree of HGF/SF-induced paxillin phosphorylation and matrix adhesion. As a consequence, the matrix invasion of these prostate cancer cells was also suppressed by NK4. In conclusion, this study shows that these HGF/SF-enhanced events, which are critical steps in metastasis, can be inhibited through the addition of NK4, thus warranting further in vivo studies on the implication of NK4 as a potential antimetastasis agent in prostate cancer.
We present a simple yet powerful method for the isolation and analysis of exosomes released by antigen-presenting cells (APC). Exosomes are small vesicles (40-90 nm) released by APC, and may have an immuno-regulatory function in vivo. Such exosomes originate from MHC class II peptide loading compartments and, as such, express high levels of MHC Class II. We have utilised magnetic beads, coated with monoclonal antibodies specific for HLA DP, DQ, DR for the specific isolation of exosomes from cell-free supernatants. Beads coated with exosomes are subsequently stained with conjugated antibodies, and analysed by flow cytometry. Characterisation of exosomes by this method demonstrated that exosomes derived from B-lymphocytes express abundant MHC Class I and II molecules. Other immunologically important molecules detected included the co-stimulatory molecules B7.1 (CD80) and B7.2 (CD86). The adhesion molecule ICAM-1 (CD54) was also detected. These exosomes also expressed the B cell marker CD20, and the complement inhibitory protein CD59. The expression of CD63, a lysosomal marker, was variable, and there was no detectable expression of transferrin receptor (CD71). Monocyte derived dendritic cells (cultured for 7 days in GM-CSF/IL-4), demonstrated an immature phenotype, and secreted exosomes with a similar phenotype, with abundant MHC molecules. The expression of CD63 was consistently strong, and the MHC Class I-like molecule CD1a was also present, suggesting a possible function in the presentation of lipid antigens. Again CD59 was expressed suggesting a possible role for APC exosomes in complement regulation. There was no detectable CD71, CD40, CD14, CD20 or CD83. Modification of the extraction protocol allowed a comparative analysis of exosome secretion under various conditions. Treatment of cells with calcium ionophore, or phorbol ester resulted in apparent increases in exosome release, while the phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin, reduced exosome secretion. The immuno-magnetic isolation and analysis of exosomes is a versatile and rapid tool for the analysis of APC exosomes, and may prove a valuable tool for the study of exosome biology.
BACKGROUND: Muscle invasive bladder cancer is a serious clinical problem and is fatal for the majority of patients. Alternative treatments for this condition are radical cystectomy or radical radiotherapy. The choice of treatment varies according to the resident country. The ideal treatment would be a bladder preserving therapy with total eradication of the tumour without compromising survival. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review was to compare the survival after radical surgery (cystectomy) versus radical radiotherapy in patients with muscle invasive cancer. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (July 2000), Medline (July 2000), EMBASE (July 2000), Cancerlit (July 2000), Healthstar (July 2000) and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (July 2000). Attempts to contact authors of unpublished data were undertaken. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised trials comparing surgery versus radiotherapy were eligible for assessment. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three reviewers assessed trial quality based on the Cochrane Guidelines. Data was extracted from the text of the article or extrapolated from the Kaplan-Meier plot. The Peto odds ratio was determined to compare the overall-survival and disease-specific survival. Analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat basis and treatment actually received. MAIN RESULTS: Three randomised trials comparing pre-operative radiotherapy followed by radical cystectomy (surgery) versus radical radiotherapy with salvage cystectomy (radical radiotherapy) were eligible for assessment. These trials represented a total of 439 patients, 221 randomised to surgery and 218 to radical radiotherapy. Peto odds ratio analysis consistently favoured surgery in terms of survival. It was significant at 3 (OR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.10,4.07) and 5 years (OR = 2.40, 95% CI 1.35, 4.29) for overall survival and at 3 years (OR = 1.96, 95% CI 1.06,3.65) for disease-specific survival for patients that actually received the protocol treatment. On an intention-to-treat analysis for disease-specific survival, the results were significantly in favour of surgery at 3 years (OR = 1.96, 95% CI 1.06,3.65) but not at 5 years. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: The evidence from this review suggests that there is no overall statistically significant benefit to radiotherapy or surgery ( with pre-operative radiotherapy) in muscle invasive bladder cancer in terms of survival, but the trends consistently favour surgery.
PURPOSE: To assess the results of treatment in 33 patients with stage IIA/B seminoma who were treated with carboplatin and radiotherapy (RT) between January 1989 and December 1996. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients received single course single agent carboplatin (400 mg/m2 or area under curve (AUC 7), two patients received two courses carboplatin, and one patient received single course carboplatin and etoposide, all 4-6 weeks prior to infra-diaphragmatic RT. Results were retrospectively compared with those obtained for 80 patients treated from 1970 to 1998 with radiotherapy alone. RESULTS: There was minimal toxicity associated with the use of carboplatin prior to RT. With a median follow-up of 4 years (range 2-70 months) 2/33 patients treated with chemotherapy and RT have relapsed, 5-year relapse free survival (RFS) = 96.9% (95% confidence interval (CI) 72.9-99.4%), and one patient has died of progressive disease, 5-year overall survival (OS) = 96.7%. With a median follow-up of 11.2 years (range 6 months to 25.8 years) 15/80 patients treated with RT alone have relapsed, 5-year RFS = 80.7% (95% CI 70.1-87.9%), including 13/61 patients treated with infra-diaphragmatic RT, 5-year RFS = 77.9%, and 2/19 treated with additional supra-diaphragmatic RT, 5-year RFS = 89.5% (P = 0.277). Eleven out of 80 patients have died, 5-year OS = 94.7%. For stage IIA, 1/14 patients treated with chemotherapy and RT have relapsed, 5-year RFS = 92.3%, compared with 5/34 treated with infra-diaphragmatic RT alone 5-year, RFS = 84.9% (P = 0.527). For stage IIB, 1/19 patients relapsed (at 69 months) following chemotherapy and RT (5-year RFS = 100%), whereas 8/27 relapsed following infra-diaphragmatic RT alone, 5-year RFS = 69.4% (P = 0.0595). CONCLUSION: Infradiaphragmatic RT alone cures the majority of patients with stage II seminoma, but the relapse rate remains high particularly for patients with stage IIB disease. As compared with historical controls, carboplatin with RT appears to reduce the relapse rate in stage II seminoma with minimal additional toxicity and the results approach statistical significance for stage IIB patients. Confirmation would require a phase III randomized comparison.
OBJECTIVE: To assess, in a systematic review, the effectiveness of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in preventing tumour recurrence in patients with medium/high risk Ta and T1 bladder cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An electronic database search of Medline, Embase, DARE, the Cochrane Library, Cancerlit, Healthstar and BIDS was undertaken, plus hand searching of the Proceedings of ASCO, for randomized controlled trials, in any language, comparing transurethral resection (TUR) alone with TUR followed by intravesical BCG in patients with Ta and T1 bladder cancer. RESULTS: The search identified 26 publications comparing TUR with TUR + BCG. Six trials were considered acceptable, representing 585 eligible patients, 281 in the TUR-alone group and 304 in the TUR + BCG group. The major clinical outcome chosen was tumour recurrence. The weighted mean log hazard ratio for the first recurrence, taken across all six trials, was -0.83 (95% confidence interval -0.57 to -1.08, P < 0.001), which is equivalent to a 56% reduction in the hazard, attributable to BCG. The Peto odds ratio for patients recurring at 12 months was 0.3 (95% confidence interval of 0.21-0.43, P < 0.001), significantly favouring BCG therapy. Manageable toxicities associated with intravesical BCG were cystitis (67%), haematuria (23%), fever (25%) and urinary frequency (71%). No BCG-induced deaths were reported. CONCLUSION: TUR with intravesical BCG provides a significantly better prophylaxis of tumour recurrence in Ta and T1 bladder cancer than TUR alone. Randomized trials are still needed to address the issues of BCG strain, dose and schedule, and to better quantify the effect on progression to invasive disease.
Sex hormones appear to play a pivotal role in determining cardiovascular risk. Androgen deprivation therapy for males with prostate cancer results in a hypogonadal state that may have important, but as yet undetermined, effects on the vasculature. We studied the effects of androgen deprivation therapy on large artery stiffness in 22 prostate cancer patients (mean age, 67 +/- 8 yr) over a 6-month period. Arterial stiffness was assessed using pulse-wave analysis, a technique that measures peripheral arterial pressure waveforms and generates corresponding central aortic waveforms. This allows determination of the augmentation of central pressure resulting from wave reflection and the augmentation index, a measure of large artery stiffness. Body compositional changes were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Fasting lipids, glucose, insulin, testosterone, and estradiol were measured. After a 3-month treatment period, the augmentation index increased from 24 +/- 6% (mean +/- SD) at baseline to 29 +/- 9% (P = 0.003) despite no change in peripheral blood pressure. Timing of wave reflection was reduced from 137 +/- 7 to 129 +/- 10 msec (P = 0.003). Fat mass increased from 20.2 +/- 9.4 to 21.9 +/- 9.6 kg (P = 0.008), whereas lean body mass decreased from 63.2 +/- 6.8 to 61.5 +/- 6.0 kg (P = 0.016). There were no changes in lipids or glucose during treatment. Median serum insulin rose from 11.8 (range, 5.6-49.1) to 15.1 (range, 7.3-83.2) mU/liter at 1 month (P = 0.021) and to 19.3 (range, 0-85.0 mU/liter by 3 months (P = 0.020). There was a correlation between the changes in fat mass and insulin concentration over the 3-month period (r = 0.56; P = 0.013). In a subgroup of patients whose treatment was discontinued after 3 months, the augmentation index decreased from 31 +/- 7% at 3 months to 29 +/- 5% by 6 months, in contrast to patients receiving continuing treatment in whom the augmentation index remained elevated at 6 months compared with baseline (P = 0.043). These data indicate that induced hypogonadism in males with prostate cancer results in a rise in the augmentation of central arterial pressure, suggesting large artery stiffening. Adverse body compositional changes associated with rising insulin concentrations suggest reduced insulin sensitivity. These adverse hemodynamic and metabolic effects may increase cardiovascular risk in this patient group.
The effect of HGF/SF on the association between the E-cadherin/catenin complex and the tyrosine kinase receptor c-Met, was examined in prostate cancer cells LNCap FGC. Stimulation by HGF/SF showed E-cadherin and beta-catenin to be co-precipitated and located at areas of cell-cell contact with the HGF/SF receptor c-Met, as detected by immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence respectively. Furthermore, continued exposure to this motogen increased the level of co-precipitations between the E-cadherin/catenin complex with c-Met, and also increased tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Met. In contrast, continued stimulation by HGF/SF decreased the level of co-localised peripheral staining and increased the level of cytoplasmic staining. In conclusion, the association between the E-cadherin/catenin complex with the HGF/SF receptor c-Met, may influence or regulate intercellular adhesion in prostate cancer following stimulation by HGF/SF.
The effect of HGF/SF was examined on the interactions between APC, GSK3beta and beta-catenin in prostate cancer cells LNCapFGC (E-cadherin positive) and PC-3 (E-cadherin negative). Using immunoprecipitation, APC was found to be co-precipitated with either GSK3beta or beta-catenin in both cell lines. Stimulation with HGF/SF showed no change in the co-precipitation status of these protein molecules. In contrast, co-precipitation between GSK3beta and beta-catenin was only observed in LNCapFGC cells, and increased upon continued exposure to the motogen HGF/SF. Furthermore, using immunofluorescence, stimulation with HGF/SF was found to increase the level of co-localised cytoplasmic staining between beta-catenin and GSK3beta, in prostate cancer cells. RT-PCR revealed that there were no mutations within the binding regions between beta-catenin and GSK3beta. It is concluded, that uncomplexed cytoplasmic pools of beta-catenin associate more readily with the Axin complex in the absence of E-cadherin. Whereas, in the presence of E-cadherin, beta-catenin is stabilised by forming tight cell-cell contacts which may influence the invasive potential of cancer cells.
PURPOSE: The current study examined the effects of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) on cell-cell dissociation, invasion, and its association with the mediated release of matrix metalloproteinase-7 (Matrilysin) on the extracellular cleavage of E-cadherin in prostate cancer cells. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The effects of HGF/SF on cell-cell dissociation, in vitro invasion, and on the expression of E-cadherin at both protein and mRNA levels were assessed in cells whose expression of Matrilysin was altered by treatment with antisense oligonucleotide. RESULTS: Incubation with HGF/SF mediated the release of active Matrilysin (M(r) 19,000), resulting in extracellular cleavage of E-cadherin from prostate cancer cells. This resultant soluble M(r) 80,000 fragment of E-cadherin was subsequently recognized upon immunoprobing with an anti-E-cadherin antibody. Both recombinant human Matrilysin (rh-Matrilysin) and/or HGF/SF increased the level of soluble E-cadherin and decreased the level of full-length (M(r) 120,000) E-cadherin as detected by Western blotting. The effects of rh-Matrilysin and HGF/SF were inhibited by an antisense oligonucleotide specifically directed toward human Matrilysin. In addition, stimulation with either rh-Matrilysin or HGF/SF resulted in disruption to the E-cadherin/beta-catenin complex, as shown by a significant increase (P < 0.05) in both cell scattering and invasion index. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with HGF/SF induced Matrilysin-mediated cleavage to the extracellular domain of E-cadherin, resulting in its dissociation from the cadherin/catenin complex. This provides a new mechanism in HGF/SF-induced cell scattering, resulting in a switch to a more invasive phenotype in LNCapFGC cells, as demonstrated by in vitro invasion.
BACKGROUND: Systemic therapies for metastatic cutaneous melanoma, the most aggressive of all skin cancers, remain disappointing. Few lasting remissions are achieved and the therapeutic aim remains one of palliation. Many agents are used alone or in combination with varying degrees of toxicity and cost. It is unclear whether evidence exists to support these complex regimens over best supportive care / placebo. OBJECTIVES: To review the benefits from the use of systemic therapies in metastatic cutaneous melanoma compared to best supportive care/placebo, and to establish whether a 'standard' therapy exists which is superior to other treatments. SEARCH STRATEGY: Randomised controlled trials were identified from the MEDLINE, EMBASE and CCTR/CENTRAL databases. References, conference proceedings, and Science Citation Index/Scisearch were also used to locate trials. Cancer registries and trialists were also contacted. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials of adults with histologically proven metastatic cutaneous melanoma in which systemic anti-cancer therapy was compared with placebo or supportive care. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Study selection was performed by two independent reviewers. Data extraction forms were used for studies which appeared to meet the selection criteria and, where appropriate, full text articles were retrieved and reviewed independently. MAIN RESULTS: No randomised controlled trials were found comparing a systemic therapy with placebo or best supportive care in metastatic cutaneous melanoma. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence from randomised controlled clinical trials to show superiority of systemic therapy over best supportive care / placebo in the treatment of malignant cutaneous melanoma. Given that patients with metastatic melanoma frequently receive systemic therapy, it is our pragmatic view that a future systematic review could compare any systemic treatment, or combination of treatments, to single agent dacarbazine.
In the polykaryon-forming unit (PFU) assay, which defines cell survival as the ability to form a cytochalasin-induced polykaryon of predetermined ploidy, the mode of PFU deletion is not known. Incubation of L5178Y-S PFU in cytochalasin resulted in polyploidy (> or =32C) and most polykaryons (>75%) ultimately underwent apoptosis, detected using chromatin condensation and externalised phosphatidylserine. However, large polykaryons carrying terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labelling (TUNEL)-labelled DNA strand breaks were not observed, presumably due to rapid loss of DNA. Gamma irradiation of PFU prior to cytochalasin exposure caused a reduction in the frequency of highly polyploid cells (>16C), consistent with either a supra-induction of apoptosis or a reduction in the ability of PFU to reach high ploidies. We conclude that L5178Y-S PFU are deleted by apoptosis.
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PURPOSE: The highly variable natural history of prostate carcinoma may be reflected in heterogeneity of invasive potential between tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have examined two prostate cancer cell lines of low invasive potential (CAHPV10 and PZHPV7) and three cell lines of high invasive potential (DU-145, PC-3, LNCapFGC), to determine whether specific adhesion molecule profiles correlated with their invasive behavior. RESULTS: Using an in vitro invasion assay, we demonstrated that DU-145, LNCapFGC and PC-3 cells were highly invasive compared with CA-HPV-10 and PZ-HPV-7 cells. LNCapFGC cells expressed high levels of E-cadherin, alpha-, beta- and gamma-catenin, desmoglein, desmoplakin and GSK3beta using immunoblotting. This was, in general, comparable to immunohistochemical staining. PC-3 cells had no E-cadherin or alpha-catenin, but expressed a high level of the HGF/SF receptor c-Met. In contrast, DU-145 cells were found to express E-cadherin and low levels for all other protein molecules, except c-Met. The DU-145 cell line also lacked alpha-catenin expression. In CA-HPV-10 and PZ-HPV-7 cells, there was no detection of APC, PECAM-1, P-cadherin or Wnt-1. DU-145, LNCapFGC and PC-3 cells formed cell-cell aggregates, which were reduced by inclusion of anti-E-cadherin antibody and the motogen HGF/SF. CONCLUSION: These results show that prostate cancer cells exhibit a diverse expression of cell-cell adhesion molecules and their signaling intermediates. The expression of these adhesion molecules bears an important relationship with the invasive phenotype of these cells.
To understand better the type and incidence of long-term complications in total knee replacement, 306 primary Kinematic total knee arthroplasties performed between June 1978 and December 1982 were prospectively reviewed in detail. The Kinematic knee is a nonconstrained, posterior cruciate-retaining prosthesis that has right and left femoral components to afford anatomic tracking of the patella. The overall revision rate was 6.5%. The most common cause for revision surgery was patellar complications. Ten revisions (3.06%) were for patellar component loosening. Two knees were revised for patella subluxation (0.65%); 1 was in a resurfaced rheumatoid patella, and 1 in an unsurfaced osteoarthritic patella. Stair climbing was better with an unsurfaced patella. Anterior knee pain was 21.8% in the unsurfaced patella and 11.2% in the replaced patella. These data suggest patella replacement is not appropriate with this design.