This report profiled a seminoma cell line established for both in vitro and in vivo experimental systems. Future studies are planned to investigate germ cells using this seminoma line.

Background: Prognostic factors for survival in transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract have been extensively evaluated, but detailed analyses of patterns of bladder recurrence after surgery have been rare. Methods:The outcome and tumor recurrence of 93 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract surgically treated between 1975 and 1999 were reviewed, retrospectively. Disease-specific survival by pathologic stage and grade were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors for survival and bladder recurrence were examined by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results:The 5-year disease-specific survival rates of the patients with pTa, T1 and T2 were 92.9%, 100% and 88.9%, respectively. However, that of the pT3 patients was 61.9% and the median survival of the pT4 cases was only 7 months. Bladder recurrence was seen in 40 cases and recurrences occurred within 1 year in 32 of these patients. The stage and grade of metachronous bladder tumors usually resembled those of primary tumors, but invasive recurrences were seen in 19% of recurrent cases with primary pTa, pT1 tumors. The significant prognostic factor for survival was pathologic stage (pT3, pT4), but no significant variables were detected for bladder recurrence by multivariate analysis. Conclusions:The prognosis of pT3, pT4 patients is poor and effective systemic adjuvant therapy is necessary. Invasive bladder recurrence occurred in 19% of patients with superficial primary tumors. As no significant prognostic variables for bladder recurrence were identified, careful follow up for bladder recurrence is important even if the primary tumors are non-invasive.

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Objective: The efficacy of low-dose dexamethasone (DXM) therapy in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) was evaluated. Patients and Methods: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response and survival following DXM therapy were analyzed in 27 Japanese patients exhibiting HRPC. Concurrent therapies and antiandrogen withdrawal syndrome, which may affect PSA levels and palliative effects, were excluded from the study. A dose of 1.5 mg of DXM was administered, and androgen deprivation therapy was maintained during DXM therapy. A decline in PSA levels of at least 50% from baseline was considered a significant PSA response. Prognostic factors for PSA response and survival were examined by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: A significant PSA response was observed in 16 of the 27 cases (59.3%). Median survival period of patients exhibiting significant PSA response was 15.9 months and was significantly longer than that of patients demonstrating a decline in PSA of less than 50% (median 7.7 months, p < 0.0001). Effect on pain control also correlated with the significant PSA response. No meaningful prognostic factors for PSA response were detected; however, a PSA decline of greater than 50% was the prognostic factor for survival. Conclusion: DXM therapy remains one of the most beneficial treatment modalities in patients with HRPC.

One hundred and four patients with multiple primary malignant neoplasm (MPN) with at least one genitourinary organ involved were analyzed. The 104 patients represented 0.9% of all cancer patients and 9.0% of all urologic tumor cases. Tumors of the prostate and bladder in urologic cancers and tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, particularly stomach cancer, in non-urologic cancers were predominantly involved. In 79 cases (76.0%), the second tumors were discovered within 5 years from the diagnosis of the first cancer. Renal cell carcinoma tended to be discovered incidentally and concomitantly. In contrast, bladder cancer tended to be an initial primary tumor presenting with symptoms, and tumor of prostate tended to be found incidentally, as a second cancer in metachronous cancer associations. All second tumors of the liver were found incidentally with ultrasonographic examination after a small interval. Strict follow-up at regular intervals at least the initial 5 years are essential for the detection of second malignant neoplasms.

Cyclic deformation behavior of ultra-fine grained (UFG) Cu of 99.99% purity processed by equal-channel angular pressing was investigated. In tension-compression fatigue tests under strain control, UFG Cu showed cyclic softening. Shear bands were formed along the direction inclined by about 45 from the loading axis. Observations using an electron backscattering diffraction technique and transmission electron microscopy revealed that local grain growth took place in the shear bands and overall grains elongated along the shear direction. Cyclic softening can be understood as a result of dynamic grain coarsening occurred intensively in the strain localized shear bands.

Abstract.Unilateral adrenal hyperplasia (UAH) is a rare, surgically correctable subset of primary aldosteronism(PA), which shows similar endocrine features to aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA). We report here two Japanese patients with UAH. Case 1 was a 62-year-old man with a four-year history of hypertension.Hypokalemia and suppressed plasma renin activity (PRA) with elevated plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) were observed, while no adrenal nodules were identified by abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scan. Adrenal scintigraphy did not reveal definite localization.The selective adrenal-vein sampling for determinations of PAC showed an overfunctioning left adrenal gland, and a left adrenalectomy was performed.Diffuse micronodular adrenocortical hyperplasia was observed.Case 2 was a 61-year-old man with a six-year history of hypertension. At the first visit to our hospital, hypokalemia and suppressed PRA with elevated PAC were observed.An abdominal CT scan showed a left adrenal mass 1.5 cm in diameter, while adrenal scintigraphy did not reveal definite laterality. A left adrenalectomy was performed, and three macronodules and diffuse micronodular adrenocortical hyperplasia were observed. Hypokalemia, hypertension and endocrine data became normal, and both patients have been well with no signs of recurrence for eight years (case 1) and seven months (case 2) after surgery. Clinical characteristics and endocrine features of UAH are also reviewed.

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