Trend analysis and regional tumor incidence in Germany for testicular cancer between 2003 and 2014

BACKGROUND Testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) is one the most common solid tumors in men between the age of 15 and 35 with an overall incidence rate of 1-1.5 %. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated different incidence patterns in western civilized countries with overall rising incidence trends. OBJECTIVE To analyze differences in regional tumor incidence rates for TGCT and perform a trend analysis for TGCT between 2003 and 2014 in Germany. MATERIAL AND METHODS TGCT cases in Germany which were diagnosed between 2003 and 2014 were provided by the Robert-Koch-Institute, Berlin. For statistical analysis, cluster and spatial scan tests according to Kulldorff were used for cases with seminoma a…

Advantages and Disadvantages of Bone Protective Agents in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Lessons Learned

Nine out of ten metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) patients will develop osseous metastases. Of these, every second will suffer from skeletal-related events (SRE). SRE are associated with an increased risk for death, which is markedly increased in the presence of pathological fracture. Moreover, health insurance costs nearly double in the presence of SRE. Zoledronic acid and denosumab are both approved drugs for the prevention or delay of SRE in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients with osseous metastases. However, long-term treatment with one of these two drugs is associated with the development of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Routine inspections of th…

Evaluation of TKTL1 as a biomarker in serum of prostate cancer patients.

Introduction Monocyte associated transketolase-like 1 (TKTL1) as a cancer biomarker has become popular with alternative practitioners, but plays no role in conventional medicine. This investigation evaluates the potential of serum TKTL1 as a biomarker for prostate cancer. Material and methods Patients (n = 66) undergoing curative radical prostatectomy (RPE) for biopsy-pro-ven PCa were included in the study. Controls (n = 10) were healthy, age-matched, male volunteers. 10 ml of peripheral blood was drawn from patients several days before surgery and from controls. Serum TKTL1 was measured using the ELISA method. Results The median age at tumor diagnosis was 66 years and median serum PSA was …

CT-guided nephrostomy–An expedient tool for complex clinical scenarios

Abstract Introduction & objectives Percutaneous nephrostomy [ 1 ] has emerged as a pivotal approach in the therapeutic management of the obstructed urinary tract. A consecutive incorporation of ultrasonic and radiographic guidance, the approach experienced an almost ubiquitious distribution while most centers currently applying either one or both of these tools jointly. However, success of ultrasound-guidance is limited in obese patients and non-dilated uropathy. In turn, fluoroscopy usually requires an opacification of the urinary collecting system by intravenous or antegrade contrast media injection, which might be harmful for already impaired renal function, raise intrapelvic pressure an…

Risk Factors and Molecular Features Associated with Bladder Cancer Development

Bladder cancer remains a global epidemiologic problem, with a strong male predominance and association with tobacco smoking. However, several other risk factors have also been associated with development of this disease, which is characterized by alterations in multiple molecular pathways. Development of the more prevalent, less aggressive, recurrent, noninvasive tumors is characterized by constitutive activation of the Ras–MAPK pathway. The less common but more aggressive invasive tumors, which have a higher mortality rate, are characterized by alterations in the p53 and retinoblastoma pathways. Alterations in pathways involved in cell-cycle regulation, apoptosis, cell signaling, angiogene…

Nationwide analysis on the impact of socioeconomic land use factors and incidence of urothelial carcinoma

Incidence rates for urothelial carcinoma (UC) have been reported to differ between countries within the European Union (EU). Besides occupational exposure to chemicals, other substances such as tobacco and nitrite in groundwater have been identified as risk factors for UC. We investigated if regional differences in UC incidence rates are associated with agricultural, industrial and residential land use.Newly diagnosed cases of UC between 2003 and 2010 were included. Information within 364 administrative districts of Germany from 2004 for land use factors were obtained and calculated as a proportion of the total area of the respective administrative district and as a smoothed proportion. Fur…

Ruptured angiomyolipoma of the kidney: a rare differential diagnosis of flank pain.

Angiomyolipomas (AMLs) of the kidney are typically benign and rare, with an incidence of 2% of all renal masses [1]. They are associated with tuberous sclerosis in about 20% of cases. If ruptured, ...

What should be the patient's preference regarding the choice of hospital in the case of radical cystectomy? Evaluation of early complications after open radical cystectomy in a medium and high volume setting in one hospital

Jens Mani,1 Stefan Vallo,1 Maximilian P Brandt,1 Kilian M Gust,1 Claudia Bartsch,1 Johannes Daechert,1 Igor Tsaur,1 Georg Bartsch,2,* Axel Haferkamp1,* 1Department of Urology, Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, 2Department of Urology, Johannes Gutenberg University Hospital Mainz, Mainz, Germany *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: This study compares early complications after cystectomy and urinary diversion (UD) stratified by the surgical focus and case load of two different department chairpersons in a single institution in two time periods. Creating clear data about complications that can affect the quality of life is an important tool for patient…

Increased tumor vascularization is associated with the amount of immune competent PD‑1 positive cells in testicular germ cell tumors

Testicular germ cell cancer in a metastatic state is curable with a cisplatin‑based first line chemotherapy. However, 10‑15% of these patients are resistant to first line chemotherapy and are thus left with only palliative options. Immunotherapies and inhibition of angiogenesis used in multiple types of cancer; however, the molecular context of angiogenesis and immune checkpoints in the development and progression of testicular cancers is still unknown. Therefore, the present study performed tissue micro array based analysis of 84 patients with immunohistochemistry of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‑1), programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD‑L1) and vascular endothelial growth factor recept…

Incidence, Risk Factors and Management of Symptomatic Lymphoceles after Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy

Abstract Introduction We investigated the incidence, clinical course and risk factors for symptomatic lymphoceles after radical retropubic prostatectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection. Moreover, we explored parameters for the failure of percutaneous lymphocele drainage. Methods The incidence of symptomatic lymphoceles in patients with prostate cancer who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection in our department between 2008 and 2013 was investigated retrospectively. The occurrence of lymphoceles was correlated with several clinical and histopathological parameters. In addition, logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the value of independ…

Tobacco: deadly in any form or disguise