Ultrastructural study of the noninvolved urothelium of tumor-bearing patients after two years of intravesical interferon therapy.
OBJECTIVE
Seventeen patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder were studied. Twelve patients did not have a recurrence 2 years after a transurethral resection (TUR) followed by interferon (IFN)-alpha 2b treatment. This observation led us to study the ultrastructural morphology of the noninvolved urothelium in 8 of the above 12 patients.


METHODS
All patients had a primary solitary grade I or II tumor. Topical therapy was started after TUR. Each patient received a total of 22 instillations of 50 MU IFN-alpha 2b in 12 months according to the standard procedure. After the first year, a repetitive dose of 50 MU IFN-alpha 2b was administered every 2 months for a period of 1 more year.


RESULTS
At the end of therapy, certain ultrastructural modifications were observed indicating a partial restoration of the urothelium: the existence of asymmetric unit membrane, a well-developed Golgi apparatus and an increase of the filaments. The cells were joined to each other with well-developed tight junctions. Tubuloreticular inclusions were also observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention of recurrence by restoring the morphology of the noninvolved urothelium in response to IFN treatment deserves further examination.
Stravoravdi
P
P
Theagenion Cancer Institute, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Natsis
K
K
Kirtsis
P
P
Retalis
G
G
Konstandinidis
E
E
Polyzonis
M
M
D000283:Administration, Intravesical; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013997:Time Factors; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D019459:Urothelium / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins