ABSTRACT Purpose: To describe the clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes in patients with small cell bladder cancer at our institution, including those who received prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) for the prevention of intracranial recurrence. Materials and Methods: Patients with small cell bladder cancer treated at a single institution between January 1990 and August 2015 were identified and analyzed retrospectively for demographics, tumor stage, treatment, and overall survival. Results: Of 44 patients diagnosed with small cell bladder cancer, 11 (25%) had metastatic disease at the time of presentation. Treatment included systemic chemotherapy (70%), radical surgery (59%), and local radiation (39%). Six patients (14%) received PCI. Median overall survival was 10 months (IQR 4 – 41). Patients with extensive disease had worse overall survival than those with organ confined disease (8 months vs. 36 months, respectively, p = 0.04). Among those who received PCI, 33% achieved 5 - year survival. Conclusion: Outcomes for patients with small cell bladder cancer remain poor. Further research is indicated to determine if PCI increases overall survival in small call bladder cancer patients, especially those with extensive disease who respond to chemotherapy.

Um dos modelos animais mais utilizados de auto-enxertia de queratinócitos cultivados é baseado em xeno-enxerto de queratinócitos humanos em rato atímico, um receptor imunologicamente neutro que atua como carreador biológico. Muitos fatos podem ser estudados nesse modelo que acontecem após o transplante sem os aspectos éticos do estudo clínico. A proposição do modelo experimental esta relacionada a sequência do transplante de pele parcial ou total como auto-enxerto ou xeno-enxerto, cultivado ou não, no dorso do rato atímico. O modelo apresenta a possibilidade do estudo in vivo do animal atímico, quando o estudo in vivo em anima nobili não é considerado ético. Isso permite a avaliação do xeno-enxerto de células humanas normais ou modificadas geneticamente modificadas cultivadas e a associação de células cultivadas e substitutes dérmicos, de enxertos compostos e de auto-enxerto.

One of the most used animal models of cultured keratinocytes autografting is based on xenografting of human keratinocytes to the rat or athymic mice, immunological neutral recipient that acts as biological carrier. It could be studied in this model many facts that occur after transplant without the ethical aspect in the clinical study. The proposition of the experimental model is related to the sequence of the total or partial skin transplant, as autografting or xenografting, cultured or not, to the back of athymic mice. The model presents the possibility of study in vivo athymic animal, when the in vivo study in anima nobili is not ethical. It permits the xenografting evaluation of cultured cells graft or of the genetically modified cells and of the association of the cultured cells and the dermal substitutes, the composite grafts, and of the autografting.

A pesquisa em bioengenharia é primordial no desenvolvimento da combinação ideal de biomateriais e células cultivadas para produzir a cobertura definitiva das lesões. O modelo experimental da cultura de queratinócitos apresenta toda as etapas do cultivo, desde o isolamento dos queratinócitos, preparação da derme acelular humana, do enxerto composto e da sua elevação à interface ar-líquido. A pesquisa em modelo de cultura de queratinócitos desenvolve-se em duas vias principais: 1. otimização dos métodos in vitro para cultivo e proliferação de células da pele e 2. desenvolvimento de biomateriais que mimetizem as propriedades da pele.

The bioengineering research is essential in the development of ideal combination of biomaterials and cultured cells to produce the permanent wound coverage. The experimental model of cultured keratinocytes presents all steps of the culture, since the isolation of the keratinocytes, preparation of the human acellular dermis, preparation of the composite skin graft and their elevation to the air-liquid interface. The research in cultured keratinocytes model advances in two main ways: 1. optimization of the methods in vitro to the skin cells culture and proliferation and 2. developing biomaterials that present similar skin properties.