Previous studies in hereditary and sporadic prostate cancer have indicated the existence of a tumor suppressor gene in chromosomal region 19p13. The BRG1 gene in this region is one of the possible candidates, based on both the frequency of inactivating mutations in human cancer cell lines, including the prostate cancer cell line DU145, and its functional properties. To our knowledge, no studies have been done to evaluate possible involvement of the BRG1 gene in clinical prostate cancer. To accomplish this, we carried out a complete mutation analysis of all 35 BRG1 exons in tumor and constitutional DNA samples from 21 prostate cancer patients. We report the absence of somatic mutations in the panel of samples employed, but the existence of five germline single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CpG islands of the BRG1 gene, among them, three novel ones. In conclusion, the study excludes the presence of common BRG1 mutations in prostate cancer.

In a review of 2248 cystoscopic examinations conducted over 10 years, malignant tumours of the urinary bladder were found in 172 patients. In 128 of these the condition was associated with bilharziasis. The lateral wall of the bladder was the commonest site (52.3%). Squamous cell carcinoma occurred in 78.1%. Forty-nine patients refused surgery and eight were found to have advanced inoperable tumours. Seventy-one patients had a total cystectomy. There were no operative deaths but post-operative complications occurred in nine cases. Eight patients died within 2 years but 21 were well and tumour-free at 5 years. It was concluded that there is a marked association between bilharziasis and bladder cancer. When the tumour is operable, cystectomy is the treatment of choice.

In a series of 329 patients with urinary bilharziasis, 560 strictures occurred in the lower third of the ureter. Bilateral ureteric involvement was seen in 231 patients (70.2%). Two hundred and fifty-two strictures (45%) were juxtavesical, 210 (37.5%) intramural, 50 (8.9%) were combined juxtavesical and intramural, 43 (7.7%) were pelvic and 5 (0.9%) were ureteric meatal strictures. The main operative procedures were pull-through ureteroneocystostomy (47.1%), ureteric reimplantation into the dome of the bladder (28.8%) and nipple ureteroneocystostomy (20.3%). Post-operative complications occurred in 17 patients (5.2%) and the operative mortality was nil. It is concluded that the best results are achieved through selection of the appropriate operative procedure and prevention of reinfestation.

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