Transferrin receptors (TfR) were measured in benign and malignant prostatic cells by performing Scatchard analysis following the administration of 125I-transferrin. Established human prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3 and DU-145) as well as biologically aggressive variants (PC-3 ASC and PC-3 DES) were shown to possess significant levels of high affinity TfR when assessed in vitro. In contrast, TfR content was negligible in cultured stromal cell fractions derived from human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) specimens. Scatchard analysis was also performed on in vivo derived prostatic tissues: tumors resulting from the subcutaneous xenografting of PC-3 ASC cells into athymic, nude mice and fresh BPH surgical specimens. These tissues were dissociated and their stromal and epithelial components separated. TfR were only detected in the epithelial component of both malignant and benign epithelial cells. PC-3 ASC tumor cells exhibited TfR levels comparable to their in vitro expression and these levels were 10-fold greater than in the BPH cells. These findings suggest that elevated TfRs may serve as another useful marker of the transformed phenotype within human prostate tumor systems.
Early decatheterization directed by postoperative gravity cystography in 55 consecutive radical prostatectomy patients is described. The catheter-free status was 22 per cent by postoperative day 8, 62 per cent by postoperative day 11 and 80 per cent by postoperative day 14. Cystograms performed beginning on postoperative day 7 identified 3 groups of patients and dictated their management: 1) no extravasation resulting in immediate catheter removal (36 patients), 2) moderate extravasation requiring repeat cystography leading to decatheterization by postoperative day 15 (9 patients) and 3) severe extravasation necessitating prolonged catheter drainage (8 patients). A decatheterization protocol is presented.
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