Treatment of penile carcinoma: to cut or not to cut?

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the outcome in patients with penile cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 60 patients with penile carcinoma were included. Of the patients, 45 (n = 27) underwent surgery, and 51 underwent definitive (n = 29) or postoperative (n = 22) radiotherapy (RT). Median follow-up was 62 months. RESULTS: Median time to locoregional relapse was 14 months. Local failure was observed in 3 of 23 patients (13%) treated with surgery with or without postoperative RT vs. in 19 of 33 patients (56%) given organ-sparing treatment (p = 0.0008). Of 22 local failures, 16 (73%) were salvaged with surgery. Of the 33 patients treated with definitive RT (n = 29) and the 4 patients refusing RT after excisional biopsy, local control was obtained with organ preservation in 13 (39%). In the remaining 20, 4 patients with local failure underwent salvage conservatively, resulting in an ultimate penis preservation rate of 17 of 33 (52%) patients treated with definitive RT. The 5-year and 10-year probability of surviving with an intact penis was 43% and 26%, respectively. There was no survival difference between the patients treated with definitive RT and primary surgery (56% vs. 53%; p = 0.16). In multivariate analysis, independent factors influencing survival were N-classification and pathologic grade. Surgery was the only independent predictor for better local control. CONCLUSION: Based on our study findings, in patients with penile cancer, local control is superior with surgery. However, there is no difference in survival between patients treated with surgery and those treated with definitive RT, with 52% organ preservation.

Colites microscopiques--quoi de neuf ? [Microscopic colitis: update 2014].

Microscopic colitis, which includes lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis, represents a frequent cause of chronic watery diarrhea especially in the elderly population. Several medications, such as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, proton pump inhibitors or antidepressants, as well as cigarette smoking have been recognized as risk factors for microscopic colitis. The diagnosis of microscopic colitis is based on a macroscopically normal ileo-colonoscopy and several biopsies from the entire colon, which demonstrate the pathognomonic histopathologic findings. Therapy is mainly based on the use of budesonide. Other medications, such as mesalazine, cholestyramine and bismuth, have been evaluated as well but the evidence is less solid.