The impact of prostate biopsy on patient well-being begins while waiting for the scheduled procedure. Shortening the anticipation period before results are disclosed and administering pre-biopsy anxiety decreasing measures may benefit patients. Analgesic therapy is recommended in younger patients, those reporting moderate to severe intraoperative pain and those with known prostatic inflammatory infiltrate. The risk of acute erectile dysfunction should be discussed cautiously with patients who are potent before biopsy.

No abstract

Purified clostridial collagenase was administered intralesionally in 31 men with Peyronie's disease. Within 4 weeks of treatment 20 patients showed an objective improvement. Pain was eliminated in 13 of 14 patients with this complaint at presentation within the same 4-week period. The ability to have intercourse was restored in 3 of 4 patients with this problem. Except for a small corporeal rupture at the site of injection in 1 patient, no significant untoward effects were noted. During the mean 9.8-month followup 1 recurrence of bending was noted.

We evaluated the variability and circadian changes in consecutive measurements of home uroflowmetry in 32 patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 16 healthy men. In the BPH group 476 uroflow measurements were recorded during 24 to 72 hours (mean 14.9 measurements per patient), and the controls produced 100 flow recordings (mean 6.25 measurements per participant). Great variability between consecutive peak flow rates was observed in the BPH group, ranging from at least 1 standard deviation in 28 of 32 patients (87.5%) to at least 2 standard deviations in 15 of 32 (47%). In 21 of 32 patients (65.6%) the highest recorded peak flow rate was greater than, while the lowest peak flow rate was less than the -2 standard deviations plot in voiding nomograms. In the control group variability between consecutive voiding episodes also was marked, namely at least 1 standard deviation in 8 of 16 men (50.0%) and at least 2 standard deviations in 2 of 16 (12.5%). However, in none of the control men was any peak flow rate measurement less than the -2 standard deviations line. Circadian changes in diurnal and nocturnal measurements of voided volume, interval to maximal flow, flow time, peak flow rate and adjusted peak flow rate were recorded in the BPH group, providing a urodynamic support to a well known clinical observation.

Transient voiding impairment may be precipitated by ultrasound guided prostate biopsy. To decrease this morbidity appropriate evaluation and possible treatment for bladder outlet obstruction are justified in patients with a larger transition zone and in those with preoperative baseline I-PSS greater than 20 points.

An extended phase II trial of human leukocyte (alpha) interferon was done in 48 patients with measurable metastatic renal cell carcinoma, 43 of whom were evaluable. Of these patients 1 (2.5 per cent) had a complete response that was maintained after 19 months, 6 (14 per cent) had a partial response and an additional 23 per cent had either a minimal response or stabilization of previously growing metastases for greater than 3 months. Toxicity caused termination of treatment in only 1 patient and generally was tolerable. Major toxicity consisted of fever (80 per cent), fatigue (80 per cent) and hematologic toxicity (42 per cent), which was severe in only 2 patients. Characteristics of patients responding to therapy were good performance status, previous nephrectomy and metastases limited to the lungs. The results achieved with human leukocyte interferon were superior to those achieved by immunotherapy or chemotherapy at this and other institutions, and further trials are warranted.

No abstract

Vena caval extension of renal cell carcinoma occurs in 4 to 10 per cent of the patients and usually is considered a poor prognostic sign. To ascertain the true effect of vena caval extension on survival a retrospective analysis was done of 27 patients who had undergone radical nephrectomy and removal of vena caval thrombus between 1970 and 1980. An additional 46 cases were collected from series in the literature and composite statistics were compiled. Extension to the vena cava alone had a limited impact on prognosis (survival for 2 years--81 per cent, 5 years--53 per cent, median--81 months). Capsular invasion negatively influenced survival (2-year survival 66 per cent). Disease in the regional lymph nodes had a much greater impact on survival, with a 2-year survival rate of 35 per cent and no patient survived 5 years (median survival 24 months). Only 5 per cent of the patients with distant metastases survived 2 years and none survived 5 years (median survival 8.5 months). In conclusion, the prognosis of patients with vena caval tumor thrombus is influenced primarily by known adverse prognostic factors: capsular invasion, nodal disease and distant metastases. Aggressive surgery in patients with gross nodal involvement or distant metastases is unwarranted since it contributes nothing to survival and only 7 per cent of the patients had significant signs or symptoms secondary to the vena caval thrombus itself. Patients with vena caval extension alone have a cure rate approaching that of patients with stage I renal carcinoma following radical nephrectomy and complete removal of the vena caval thrombus.