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Background: Urothelial cells exhibit increased expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptor, which is the binding site of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 to cells. The frequency and distribution of genitourinary tract symptoms in patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unknown., Objective: We explored trends in genitourinary tract symptoms by gender and each of six pandemic waves in patients admitted for COVID-19, and related them with severity, death and length of hospitalization., Design Setting and Participants: A retrospective study took place in our institution of COVID-19 admitted patients. Only patients with RT-PCR or antigen test confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were included. Demographic, clinical, and genitourinary symptoms were explored., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: COVID-19 patients with genitourinary tract symptoms were compared with those without. Statistical comparisons were conducted by parametric and nonparametric tests for quantitative variables, and χ 2 test for qualitative variables., Results and Limitations: Out of a total of 4,661 COVID-19 patients, genitourinary symptoms were found in 21,1%. These symptoms were more frequent in patients admitted for longer than 30 days, except for urinary incontinence (UI) and erectile dysfunction (ED). Acute kidney injury (AKI) and urinary tract infections (UTI) had a higher presence in the 5 th (16.7%; 12.8% respectively) and 3 rd wave (13.3%; 12.6% respectively). Genitourinary symptoms were higher for those patients admitted in critical care units. Frequency of AKI, UI, UTI and acute urinary retention (AUR) were higher for patients who were finally deceased (26.2%; 3.5%; 13.6% and 3.6% respectively)., Conclusions: A high frequency of genitourinary symptoms in patients admitted for COVID-19 was observed, whose frequency and distribution varied according to pandemic waves. Specific genitourinary conditions were associated with worse outcomes and poorer prognosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Background: Bladder carcinoma has elevated morbimortality due to its high recurrence and progression in localized disease. A better understanding of the role of the tumor microenvironment in carcinogenesis and response to treatment is needed., Methods: Peripheral blood and samples of urothelial bladder cancer and adjacent healthy urothelial tissue were collected from 41 patients and stratified in low- and high-grade urothelial bladder cancer, excluding muscular infiltration or carcinoma in situ. Mononuclear cells were isolated and labeled for flow cytometry analysis with antibodies aimed at identifying specific subpopulations within T lymphocytes, myeloid cells and NK cells., Results: In peripheral blood and tumor samples, we detected different percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes, monocyte and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, as well as differential expression of activation- and exhaustion-related markers. Conversely, only a significant increase in bladder total monocytes was found when comparing bladder and tumor samples. Interestingly, we identified specific markers differentially expressed in the peripheral blood of patients with different outcomes., Conclusion: The analysis of host immune response in patients with NMIBC may help to identify specific markers that allow optimizing therapy and patient follow-up. Further investigation is needed to establish a strong predictive model.

Bladder cancer is the second most frequent malignancy of the urinary tract after prostate cancer. Current diagnostic techniques, such as cystoscopy and biopsies are highly invasive and accompanied of undesirable side effects. Moreover, there are no suitable biomarkers for relapse or progression prognosis. We analysed whether the specific composition of microRNAs (miRNAs) and proteins of extracellular vesicles (EVs) that urothelial tumour cells of bladder mucosa release into the urine, could reflect their pathologic condition. For this purpose, urinary EVs were isolated and their protein and miRNA composition evaluated in healthy donors and low or high-grade bladder cancer patients. Using a microarray platform containing probes for 851 human miRNAs we found 26 deregulated miRNAs in high-grade bladder cancer urine EVs, from which 23 were downregulated and 3 upregulated. Real-time PCR analysis pointed to miR-375 as a biomarker for high-grade bladder cancer while miR-146a could identify low-grade patients. Finally, several protein markers were also deregulated in EVs from tumour patients. Our data suggest that the presence of ApoB in the 100,000 pellet is a clear marker for malignancy., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the correlation between circulating tumor cell (CTC) levels and clinicopathologic parameters (prostate-specific antigen level, Gleason score, and TNM stage) in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (PCa) and to establish its prognostic value in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS)., Materials and Methods: A prospective, 3-arm study was performed that included 30 patients with localized PCa; 30 patients with metastatic PCa, and 30 healthy volunteers. A single 7.5-mL peripheral blood sample was taken. The CTCs were isolated using an immunomagnetic method based on the CellSearch system. Kendall's tau and Spearman's rho coefficients of correlation were used. The multivariate Cox regression model addressed OS and PFS., Results: The median follow-up was 42.9 months (interquartile range 27.14-49.5). A significant positive correlation was demonstrated between the CTC level and all tumor burden markers (prostate-specific antigen and T, N, and M stage; P <.001), except for Gleason score (tau = 0.16). A cutoff of ≥ 4 CTCs/7.5 mL was chosen to distinguish patients with a poor prognosis. These patients had a significantly shorter median OS and PFS (24 vs 45 months and 7 vs 44 months, respectively; P <.001). As the CTC level increased, the OS and PFS decreased. The risk of mortality and progression for the patients with ≥ 4 CTCs was 4.1 (P = .029) and 8.5 (P <.001) times greater. Multivariate analyses indicated that a CTC of ≥4 was an independent prognostic factor for PFS (hazard ratio 5.9, P <.005)., Conclusion: The CTC count in peripheral blood could provide a method of staging PCa correctly and be of value when assessing the prognosis of metastatic hormone-sensitive PCa., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To detect and enumerate circulating prostatic tumor cells (CTC) in the peripheral blood of patients with prostate cancer (PC) and study the relationship between CTCs and clinical-pathological parameters., Methods: Prospective three-arm study: 26 patients (p) with localised PC (LPC); 24 P with metastatic PC (MPC) and 30 healthy volunteer controls. A single 7.5 ml sample of peripheral blood was retrieved; CTCs were isolated using an immunomagnetic method based on the CellSearch system (Veridex). CTCs were identified as nucleated cells negative for CD45 (leukocytes) and positive for cytokeratins. (8, 18 y 19) The relationship between CTC numbers and PSA levels, Gleason score and TNM classification was studied., Results: Only 10% of the healthy controls had 1 CTC/7.5 mL, none of the patients with localised PC had more than 3 CTCs (88% < or = 2 CTCs), and patients with MPC had significantly higher CTC levels [m: 29 (1-178)] compared with the other two groups (P: 0.000). A positive correlation was demonstrated between the CTC count and PSA levels, tumor size, and presence or absence of enlarged lymph nodes. Gleason score was the only parameter that did not show any correlation with CTC levels, and although the number of CTCs was higher in patients with visceral metastases [m: 297 (0-416)] compared with bone metastases patients [m: 68 (9.5-168)] , these differences were not significant., Conclusions: Immunomagnetic analysis permits CTCs to be enumerated in peripheral blood and could be a possible way to correctly stage and make a reasonable prognosis of metastatic disease.

Congenital lymphatic disease with scrotal location is particularly uncommon in adults and, in general, requires an exhausting differential diagnosis of testicular and paratesticular masses; among them, the lymphangioma is exceptional. Diagnosis is based on signs and symptoms, evolution and radiological studies such as ultrasound and computerised tomography as well as characteristic findings in the anatomopathologic study such as cystic dilation with endothelial walls and lymph content with no signs of malignancy. Treatment is usually surgical. Two cases of intrascrotal lymphangioma, one at Buck's fascia level in the corpus cavernosum and the other one at the subdermal tissue in the scrotal wall are contributed. An analysis is made of the usefulness of the different imaging diagnostic methods, and complete surgical resection of the lesion is proposed as the choice therapy.

Objective: Analysis of the urinary excretion of cytokines in vesical carcinoma., Material and Method: The study includes the results obtained in the quantification of several interleukins (IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, INF-gamma and TNF-alpha) in urine samples corresponding to 60 patients with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) with vesical location (40 surface and 20 infiltrant). Concurrently, 40 healthy donors and 20 patients with urinary tract infections were studied. Determination of the various cytokines was done with ELISA enzyme-linked immunoassays., Results: The results obtained in the study show that: a) urinary concentrations of IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, TNF- and INF- in surface TCC, are similar to those found in healthy subjects; b) levels of the mentioned cytokines are significantly higher in patients with urinary infections; c) in patients with infiltrant TCC, IL-6 urinary concentration is significantly higher than in those with S-TCC; d) urinary IL-4 levels show no difference between the various groups under study., Conclusion: From all the above it is concluded that there is a large diversity in the excretion of urinary cytokines from the vesical urothelium based on antigenic stimulation (bacterial or tumoral) to which it has been exposed and the tumoral stage, and that baseline determination of IL-6 urine level in patients with vesical TCC could have some prognostic influence.

The hemangiopericytoma is an uncommon variety of the mesenchymal tumour derived from pericapillary structures, most frequently located in limbs and exceptionally at the retroperitoneum level. Although macroscopically the aspect is benign, this tumour has a recognised ability for local invasion and distant dissemination.

Endometriosis is defined by the presence of functionally active endometria in ectopic position; so when its clinical behaviour adopts the characteristics of tumoration, endometrioma is accepted as an alternative name. Location of this pathology in the urinary apparatus is uncommon in terms of incidence, since the bladder is a selected site. This condition implies a high morbidity rate because it requires a high level of suspicion in order to be diagnosed. It is acknowledged that no image study (CAT, Echography, MNR, etc.) is pathognomonic for endometriosis and it is necessary to perform endoscopy and biopsy to achieve a correct diagnosis. The paper includes the strategy to follow, both with regard to diagnosis and the current therapeutic approaches.