Independent Predictor Of Cancer-specific Survival Research Articles

Valor actual de la biopsia de vesículas seminales en pacientes con cáncer de próstata e influencia de la prostatectomía radical en pacientes con infiltración seminal

To evaluate if radical prostatectomy may positively influence cancer-specific survival (CSS), hormone-resistance-free time, metastasis-free time, and quality of life(QoL) of patients with prostate adenocarcinoma and seminal vesicle invasion, and also to update our thoughts about seminal vesicle biopsy. 114 patients were included. Forty-six cases were diagnosed of seminal vesicle invasion after radical prostatectomy; 68 cases were diagnosed of seminal vesicle invasion after biopsy, not undergoing then surgery. Cancer specific survival, time to hormone resistance from the start of hormonal treatment, metastasis free time and QoL, measured as need for hospital care, were compared between groups. Median follow-up time was 52.6 mos. There were not statistically significant differences between groups in CSS, time to hormone resistance, metastasis free time and QoL. Three and five-year cancer specific survival were 100% and 80.77% for the radical prostatectomy group and 74.4% and 56.2% for the biopsy group. Primary grade and Gleason Score were independent predictors for CSS in the Cox regression test; clinical stage was independent predictor for time to hormone resistance. Radical prostatectomy as monotherapy does not show a statistically significant influence on followup time, CSS, time to hormone resistance, metastasis free time or QoL in patients with prostate cancer and seminal vesicle invasion associated with other bad prognostic factors (unfavourable Gleason and PSA). The value of seminal vesicle biopsy remains for the study of new multimodal treatments, such as chemotherapy + surgery, and it is to be defined in the planning of radio and cryosurgery.

Systemic Inflammatory Response, Prostate-Specific Antigen and Survival in Patients with Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Background: It is increasingly recognised that, in cancer patients, disease progression is dependent on a complex interaction of the tumour and the host inflammatory response and that the systemic inflammatory response, as evidenced by an elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration, may be a useful prognostic factor. Materials and Methods: The prognostic value of CRP compared with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was examined in 62 patients with metastatic prostate cancer receiving androgen-deprivation therapy. Results: In all, 41 (66%) of patients died, 38 (61%) of their disease. On univariate survival analysis, PSA (p < 0.05) and CRP (p < 0.05) were significant predictors of cancer-specific survival. On multivariate analysis, both PSA (HR 1.96, 95% CI 1.00–3.83, p = 0.049) and CR (HR 1.97, 95% CI 0.99–3.92, p = 0.052) were independent predictors of cancer-specific survival. PSA concentrations were significantly correlated with those of CRP (r_s = 0.46, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that, in patients with metastatic prostate cancer, the presence of an elevated CRP concentration predicts poor outcome, independent of PSA.

Predictors of overall and cancer-specific survival in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer (PC) treated with primary androgen deprivation therapy (PADT): Results from the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Study

4610 Background: Use of PADT as sole therapy for clinically localized PC is rapidly increasing, despite little evidence to support this approach. We examined predictors of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) using the data available from the Prostate Cancer Outcome Study (PCOS). Methods: PCOS recruited 5,672 patients between 1994 and 1995, within 6 months of PC diagnosis. Vital status was last updated in 12/02. 276 patients had clinically localized PC and received PADT. We examined the relationship between baseline demographic, socio-economic, and tumor factors and OS and CSS using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods implemented in the SUDAAN software. Results: Of 276 patients, 148 patients have died, 35 from PC. The median age at diagnosis was 75 (50–88). The average follow-up of censored subjects was 7.6 yrs (1.1–8.1). 5-year OS was 66% (95% CI: 69–72), while the 5-year CSS was 91% (95% CI: 86–94). In the multivariate analysis (see Table), age, serum PSA at diagnosis, and Gleason score were the only independent predictors of OS. Abnormal DRE was marginally significant. The Gleason score (≥7) was the only independent predictor of CSS (HR 4.0, p = 0.04); PSA ≥ 20 (HR 2.38, p = 0.09) approached significance. This analysis was limited by a smaller number of deaths due to prostate cancer (n = 35). Conclusions: In an analysis that included a broad range of demographic and socio-economic factors, overall survival of patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with PADT was predicted by age and measures of tumor biology (Gleason score) and tumor mass (serum PSA). Thus, cancer remains an important contributor to overall mortality in these patients, particularly those with high Gleason score and high serum PSA. These data can be used to inform patients regarding their individual 5-year survival if they choose PADT for the treatment of their clinically localized prostate cancer. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.

An elevated C-reactive protein concentration, prior to surgery, predicts poor cancer-specific survival in patients undergoing resection for gastro-oesophageal cancer

There is increasing evidence that the presence of an ongoing systemic inflammatory response is associated with poor outcome in patients undergoing resection for a variety of tumours. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between clinico-pathological status, preoperative C-reactive protein concentration and cancer-specific survival in patients undergoing resection for gastro-oesophageal cancer. One hundred and twenty patients attending the upper gastrointestinal surgical unit in the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, who were selected for potentially curative surgery, were included in the study. Laboratory measurements of haemoglobin, white cell, lymphocyte and platelet counts, albumin and C-reactive protein were carried out at the time of diagnosis. All patients underwent en-bloc resection with lymphadenectomy and survived at least 30 days following surgery. On multivariate analysis, only the positive to total lymph node ratio (hazard ratio (HR) 2.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.44–2.84, P<0.001) and preoperative C-reactive protein concentration (HR 3.53, 95% CI 1.88–6.64, P<0.001) were independent predictors of cancer-specific survival. The patient group with no evidence of a preoperative systemic inflammatory response (C-reactive protein ⩽10 mg l−1) had a median survival of 79 months compared with 19 months in the elevated systemic inflammatory response group (P<0.001). The results of the present study indicate that in patients selected to undergo potentially curative resection for gastro-oesophageal cancer, the presence of an elevated preoperative C-reactive protein concentration is an independent predictor of poor cancer-specific survival.

Proposal for revision of the TNM classification system for renal cell carcinoma

The current study defined an optimal tumor size breakpoint to stratify localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC) into groups with significantly different cancer-related outcomes and proposed a revision of the TNM classification system. The authors analyzed the data from 1138 patients who had undergone partial or radical nephrectomy for localized RCC at 7 European urologic centers. The optimal pathologic size breakpoint was calculated using the martingale residuals from a Cox proportional hazards regression model. The mean follow-up time was 87 months. The scatterplot of tumor size versus expected risk of death per patient suggested that an interval of 5-6 cm was appropriate. A total of 720 (63.3%) and 418 (36.7%) patients had tumors measuring < or = 5.5-cm and tumors measuring > 5.5-cm, respectively. Significant cancer-specific survival differences between the two groups of patients were reported in the series by all the centers participating in the study. On univariate analysis, the other variables found to be associated with cancer-specific survival were the patient's age, symptomatic tumor presentation, and the Fuhrman nuclear grade. On multivariate analysis, the pathologic stage of the primary tumor defined according to the 5.5-cm breakpoint was found to be an independent predictor of cancer-specific survival, as well as age, mode of presentation, and nuclear grade. According to the multivariate analysis, the authors clustered patients into 3 groups with statistically significant outcome differences: 1) patients with < or = 5.5-cm incidentally detected RCC; 2) patients with < or = 5.5-cm symptomatic RCC; and 3) patients with > 5.5-cm RCC. This cancer-related outcome stratification was valid regardless of the patient's age. The 5.5-cm breakpoint was found to be the optimal tumor size breakpoint with which to stratify patients with organ-confined RCC. The study supported the upgrade of the TNM classification system according to this breakpoint.

Prognostic Factors in a Recent Series of Patients Treated with Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer

Objective: To identify the clinical and pathological prognostic factors in a homogeneous series of patients with bladder cancer who had undergone radical cystectomy in the late 1990s. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 156 patients who had undergone radical cystectomy and iliac-obturator lymphadenectomy for bladder carcinoma at our department between 1995 and 2001. Results: The mean follow-up was 39.71 ± 26.2 months. The 5-year overall and cancer-specific survival rates were 47.2 and 54.7%, respectively. Upper urinary tract obstruction (p = 0.03), clinical stage of both the primary tumor (p = 0.0001) and loco-regional lymph nodes (p = 0.04), pathological stage (2002 TNM) of the primary tumor (p < 0.0001), pathological loco-regional lymph node involvement (p < 0.0001), and vascular embolization (p = 0.005) were significant on univariate analysis. Pathological lymph node involvement (p = 0.001) and both pathological (p = 0.022) and clinical stages of the primary tumor (p = 0.002) turned out to be independent predictors of cancer-specific survival. Conclusion: Pathological lymph node involvement, clinical and pathological stage of the primary tumor were the cancer-specific, survival-independent, predictors in our series. Our multivariate analysis data identified pT3–4 and pN+ patients as those with the worst prognosis.

Prognostic value of the expression of Ki-67, CD44 and vascular endothelial growth factor, and microvessel invasion, in renal cell carcinoma.

To determine if use of cell proliferation, cell adhesion, level of angiogenesis-related factors and presence of microscopic vascular invasion (MVI) could better predict the biological behaviour of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which has a widely variable clinical outcome despite the use of conventional prognostic factors (staging and grading). The expression of Ki-67, CD44H and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were assessed immunohistochemically in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 48 RCCs, using a Ki-67 labelling index (LI), CD44 LI and level of VEGF expression, respectively. In addition all the pathological slides were reviewed retrospectively for the presence and absence of MVI. The prognostic value of all the variables assessed was then evaluated, and correlated with the usual prognostic variables and cancer-specific survival. Univariate analysis of cancer-specific survival showed that tumour stage (P < 0.001), tumour size (P = 0.005), metastasis, MVI, Ki-67 LI, CD44H LI and VEGF expression (all P < 0.001) were predictors of tumour-related death. There was a statistical correlation between CD44H LI and each of Ki-67 LI (r = 0.61), expression level of VEGF (r = 0.72) and presence of MVI (r = 0.71). Independent predictors of cancer-specific survival in a multivariate analysis were: in all patients with RCC, the MVI (P = 0.003) and VEGF expression (P = 0.01); in those with no metastases, MVI (P = 0.01); in patients with no MVI, VEGF (P = 0.04); and in patients with MVI, Ki-67 LI (P = 0.003). No independent predictor was identified in patient with metastases. This study suggests that cell proliferation, cell adhesion, the level of VEGF expression and the presence of MVI represent a complex tumour-host interaction that may favour the progression of RCC. Cell proliferation, CD44H and VEGF expression appear to be powerful markers for identifying patients with an adverse prognosis.

Clinical significance of cell proliferation, microvessel density, and CD44 adhesion molecule expression in renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is known to have a wide variation in clinical outcome despite the use of conventional prognostic factors, such as staging or grading. A better knowledge of the biologic aggressiveness of RCC could facilitate the selection of patients at high risk of tumor progression. The aim of this study was to determine if use of measurements of vascular density, cell proliferation, and cell adhesion could better predict the biologic behavior of RCC. We immunohistochemically analyzed CD34, Ki-67, and CD44H expression on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 73 RCCs for quantifying microvessel density (MVD), Ki-67 labeling index (LI), and CD44H LI, respectively. Univariate cancer-specific survival analysis showed that tumor stage (P <.01), tumor size (P <.001), nuclear grade (P <.01), metastasis (P <.001), MVD (P <.03), Ki-67 LI (P <.001), and CD44H LI (P <.0001) were predictors of tumor-related death. There was a statistical correlation between CD44H LI and both Ki-67 LI (r' =.3) and MVD (r' = −44). Ki-67 LI (P <.04) and CD44H LI (P <.02), as well as metastasis (P <.008), emerged as independent predictors of cancer-specific survival in multivariate analysis in patients with metastases (P <.04 and P <.02, respectively) and in patients without metastases (P <.006 and P <.00001, respectively). Our study suggests that vascular density, cell proliferation, and cell adhesion represent a complex tumor–host interaction that may favor progression of RCC. Cell proliferation and CD44H expression appear to be powerful markers to identify patients with an adverse prognosis. HUM PATHOL 32:1209-1215. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company

Evaluation of p21WAF1/CIP1 and cyclin D1 expression in the progression of superficial bladder cancer. Finbladder Group.

Immunoreactivity of p21WAF1/CIP1 and cyclin D1 proteins was assessed in a cohort of 207 patients with superficial (pTa-pT1) bladder cancer followed up for a mean of 4.9 years. The results of the immunostainings were compared with T category, WHO grade, tumor cell proliferation rate (MIB-1 score), the expressions of p53 and bcl-2 as well as survival. Sixty-eight percent and 75% of the tumors were p21WAF1/CIP1 positive (> or = 5% of cells positive) and cyclin D1 positive (> or = 10% of cells positive), respectively. The p21WAF1/CIP1 expression was related to cyclin D1 immunolabelling (P < 0.001) but not to the other variables studied. The expression of cyclin D1 was inversely associated with T category (P = 0.001), WHO grade (P = 0.006), MIB-1 score (P = 0.014), p53 expression (P = 0.001), and bcl-2 (P = 0.011) immunoreactivity. In univariate analysis, T category (P = 0.0001), WHO grade (P < 0.0001), MIB-1 score (P < 0.0001), bcl-2 (P = 0.0092), p53 (P = 0.0016) and p21WAF1/CIP1 (P = 0.009) expressions were significant prognostic factors with regard to tumor progression, whereas cyclin D1 was without any prognostic significance (P = 0.1). Out of 123 p21 positive tumors 21 progressed, whereas only 2 out of 58 p21 negative tumors progressed. In multivariate analysis, the MIB-1 score was the only independent predictor of cancer-specific survival (P = 0.03), whereas tumor grade (P = 0.002) and cyclin D1 expression (P = 0.04) were independent predictors of tumor recurrence. Only the WHO grade (P = 0.04) retained its prognostic value indicating the risk of progression. We suggest that in superficial bladder cancer p21WAF1/CIP1 and cyclin D1 immunohistochemistry provide no additional prognostic information compared with already established prognostic factors for predicting the risk of progressive disease.