The efficacy of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) used for the treatment of localized prostate cancers has been demonstrated over the past decade. We present our early results after HIFU used as a single session in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. A total of 58 patients were treated using the Ablatherm HIFU device with or without transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). HIFU failure was defined as the presence of a cancer remnant on repeated biopsies or three consecutive increases in the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) >/=1.0 ng/ml. The mean follow-up was 14 months (range, 6-21 months). After HIFU treatment, 78% of patients had a decreased PSA level to <0.5 ng/ml within 3 months. The median value of the last PSA was 0.6 ng/ml and the median nadir PSA was 0.2 ng/ml. The success rates of HIFU were 85, 77 and 47% in low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups, respectively. The HIFU failure rate was closely associated with clinical stage, presence of cancer on TURP chips and nadir PSA on univariate analysis. However, the only significant predictor for HIFU failure was the nadir PSA value by multivariate Cox regression analysis. The operation-related complications were minimal. Although both the period and number of patients were limited to evaluate the clinical efficacy, HIFU appears to be a safe and effective treatment option in selected patients with prostate cancer.

The prognostic implications of capsular incision (CI) remain to be defined. We evaluated the impact of CI on biochemical recurrence (BCR) and the potential risk factors of CI. Between June 1995 and July 2007, 266 patients with follow-up for at least 6 months, who had neither the seminal vesicle nor lymph node involvement on prostatectomy specimen, were included. Patients with insufficient biopsy data and those with neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant therapy were excluded. CI was defined as tumor extending into the inked margins, at sites except the apex of the prostate, without documented extraprostatic extension (EPE). There were 186 with organ-confined disease and negative surgical margins (pT2/SM-), 12 with organ-confined disease and an apex-only positive margin (pT2/AM þ ), 35 with CI, 19 with EPE and negative surgical margins (pT3a/SM-) and 13 with EPE and positive surgical margins (pT3a/SM þ ). We compared BCR-free probability among these five groups and the risk factors for CI were assessed. The 3-year BCR-free probability for each group was 92.7% for pT2/SM-, 75.8% for pT2/AM þ , 70.7% with CI, 84% with pT3/SM-and 51% in pT3/SM þ . That for CI was worse than pT2/SM-(P ¼ 0.007), not significantly different from pT2/AM þ and pT3/SM-(P ¼ 0.614, P ¼ 0.318, respectively), but better than pT3/SM þ (P ¼ 0.044), adjusting for the pre-operative prostate-specific antigen and pathological Gleason score. The risk for CI was significantly associated with more than 25% positive biopsy cores. CI seems to affect BCR and is more likely to occur in proportion to positive biopsy cores.

Background:The 1997 international consensus conference on renal cell cancer (RCC) prognosis suggested erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and anaemia as prognostic biomarkers, but most studies reviewed were limited by small sample sizes.Methods:The Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate whether ESR, ALP, haemoglobin (Hb), and haematocrit (Hct) could predict survival outcomes in 1307 patients with clear cell RCC (ccRCC) who underwent nephrectomy during 1994–2008.Results:During a median follow-up of 43 months, we found that the patients with preoperative high levels of ESR, had a 2.10-fold (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21–3.67) greater risk of dying from RCC compared with patients with low levels (normal range). Patients with preoperative anaemia, assessed by Hb and Hct, had a 3.11-fold (95% CI: 1.17–8.25) and 6.20-fold (95% CI: 2.30–16.72) greater risk of dying from other illnesses, respectively, compared with patients without anaemia. ALP levels were not associated with ccRCC patients' survival. These associations for ESR and anaemia were more pronounced in patients with body mass index (BMI) <25 compared with patients with BMI ⩾25 kg m−2.Conclusion:Preoperative high ESR, but not ALP, was a significant predictor for cancer-specific survival among ccRCC patients. Anaemia increases the risk of death from other illness.