INTRODUÇÃO: A tuberculose urogenital é rara, tem diagnóstico tardio e é potencialmente destrutiva ao trato urogenital masculino. A bexiga contraída ocorre nas fases tardias de sua evolução e está associada à alta freqüência de exclusão renal unilateral, refluxo vésico-ureteral, estenose ureteral e insuficiência renal. A ampliação vesical é o tratamento padrão para estes casos. O presente trabalho avalia o seguimento tardio de 25 pacientes com bexiga contraída por tuberculose submetidos à ampliação vesical. CASUÍSTICA E MÉTODOS: Vinte homens e cinco mulheres, com idade mediana de 40 (12 a 60) anos foram estudados. Antes da ampliação, três pacientes estavam em insuficiência renal crônica em programação para transplante renal. Os demais pacientes possuíam exclusão renal funcional unilateral. Em oito casos, a ampliação foi feita com segmento ileocecal não destubulizado, em quatro com sigmóide não destubulizado e em 13 com sigmóide destubulizado. Os pacientes foram submetidos à avaliação clínica, radiológica e urodinâmica pós-operatória. Foi considerado bom resultado, após a ampliação, a presença de intervalo miccional diurno maior que duas horas e a satisfação do paciente avaliada pela pergunta sobre qualidade de vida do questionário \"ICSmaleSF\". RESULTADOS: O seguimento pós-operatório médio foi de 11,1 ± 9,1 (1 a 36) anos com 68% dos pacientes com seguimento maior que cinco anos e 52% maior que 10 anos. Um paciente morreu por um adenocarcinoma na bexiga ampliada após 25 anos de ampliação e seis anos de transplante renal. Após a ampliação, houve manutenção da mesma função renal em todos os pacientes, com exceção de dois casos de evolução para insuficiência renal crônica. Em sete (28%) casos, houve alto resíduo pós miccional com resolução após desobstrução cirúrgica em três casos e autocateterismo nos demais. Bom resultado foi encontrado em 80% dos pacientes operados. O mau resultado foi associado estatisticamente com a utilização do sigmóide não destubulizado (p <= 0,05) e tendeu a se associar com a presença de prostatite por tuberculose (p = 0,09). A comparação dos pacientes de mau com os de bom resultado mostrou que estes apresentaram, ao exame urodinâmico, bexiga ampliada com maior capacidade (p < 0,01), maior complacência (p < 0,01) e sensibilidade normal (p = 0,03). Entretanto, não houve diferença na presença de contrações involuntárias (p = 0,27) entre os dois grupos. Nos pacientes com bom resultado, as contrações iniciaram-se com maior volume de enchimento vesical (p = 0,02). CONCLUSÕES: No seguimento tardio da ampliação da bexiga contraída por tuberculose, 80% dos pacientes atingem intervalo miccional maior que duas horas e a ampliação vesical não contribui para a piora da função renal. O cólon sigmóide deve ser destubulizado, mas o segmento ileocecal pode ser utilizado na sua forma original sem destubulização para a ampliação vesical. O bom resultado com intervalo miccional maior que duas horas necessita de bexiga ampliada com capacidade maior que 250 ml, complacência maior que 20 ml/cm H2O e sensibilidade normal, sem influência da presença de contrações involuntárias. / INTRODUCTION: Urogenital tuberculosis is a rare disease with delayed diagnosis and is potentially destructive for the male urogenital tract. Chronic tuberculous cystitis is a late event in the tuberculosis evolution and is associated with high frequency of unilateral nonfunctioning kidney, ureteral reflux or stenosis and renal failure. Bladder augmentation is the standard treatment in these cases. The present study analyzes the late results of 25 patients with chronic tuberculous cystitis submitted to bladder augmentation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty men and five women, with median age of 40 (12 to 60) years were evaluated. Prior to augmentation, three patients had chronic renal failure and were in kidney transplantation program. The remaining patients had unilateral nonfunctioning kidney. In eight cases the augmentation was performed with tubularized ileocecal segment, in four with tubularized sigmoid and in 13 with detubularized sigmoid. All patients were submitted to postoperative clinical, radiological and urodynamic evaluation. It was considered a good result the miccional diurnal frequency of more than two hours and the patient?s satisfaction evaluated by the quality of life question from the ICSmaleSF questionnaire. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 11,1 ± 9,1 (1 a 36) years. In 68% of the patients this time was higher than five years and in 52% higher than ten years. One patient died due to an adenocarcinoma in the augmented bladder 25 years after bladder augmentation and six years after kidney transplantation. After augmentation, all but two patients had the renal function preserved. In seven (28%) cases there was high post-void residue treated by surgery for bladder outlet obstruction in three cases and by intermittent self-catheterisation in the others. Good results were achieved in 80% of the patients. Bad results were statistically associated to augmentation performed with tubularized sigmoid (p <= 0,05) and in patients with prostatitis as a tendency (p = 0,09). The good result patients showed augmented bladder with higher capacity (p < 0,01), higher compliance (p < 0,01) and normal bladder sensation (p = 0,03) in comparison to the bad result patients. However, there was no difference in the frequency of involuntary contractions (p = 0,27) between these two groups. In good result patients the contractions started with higher bladder filling volume (p = 0,02). CONCLUSIONS: At late follow-up of bladder augmentation 80% of the patients with chronic tuberculous cystitis achieve miccional diurnal frequency of more than two hours and the augmented bladder does not contribute to the worsening of the renal function. The sigmoid has to be always detubularized but the ileocecal segment can be used in the tubularized form to augment the bladder. Augmented bladder with capacity of more than 250 ml, compliance of more than 20 ml/cm H2O and normal sensation is necessary to achieve miccional diurnal frequency of more than two hours and there is no interference of the presence of involuntary contractions.

No description available.

Introdução: O carcinoma urotelial de bexiga (CUB) é o segundo tumor mais frequente do trato urinário. A perda da função do p53 é a alteração mais conhecida do carcinoma urotelial de alto grau invasivo. Prima-1 é uma pequena molécula, a qual restaura a função do p53 mutado promovendo a morte celular em vários tipos celulares. O objetivo do nosso estudo foi analisar o efeito do Prima-1 na indução da apoptose mediada por p53 após indução do dano ao DNA em linhagens de CUB. Material e métodos: O mecanismo de ação do Prima-1 foi avaliado em duas linhagens celulares de câncer de bexiga, T24 que tem como característica a mutação do p53 e RT4 que possui p53 intacto. Características morfológicas da apoptose, alterações no potencial de membrana mitocondrial e análise da expressão de treze genes envolvidos na apoptose mediada por p53 foram avaliados através de observação microscópica e reação em cadeia da polimerase em tempo real quantitativa (qRT-PCR). Resultados: Prima-1 foi capaz de reativar a função da P53 na linhagem de câncer de bexiga com p53 mt, promovendo a apoptose através da expressão de Bax e Puma, ativação da cascata das caspases e ruptura da membrana mitocondrial, independente de Bax, na linhagem celular T24 (p53 mt). Conclusão: Prima-1 foi capaz de restaurar a atividade transcricional de p53. Estudos experimentais in vivo poderiam ser conduzidos no intuito de testar essa molécula como um novo agente terapêutico do CUB de alto grau, invasivo, que apresenta caracteristicamente mutação de p53 / Introduction: Urothelial carcinoma of the bladder is the second most common tumor of the urinary tract. Loss of p53 function is the main genetic alteration related to the development of high-grade muscle-invasive disease. Prima-1 is a small molecule that restores tumor suppressor function to mutant p53 and induces cell death in various cancer types. Our aim is to investigate the ability of Prima-1 to induce apoptosis after DNA damage in BC cancer cell lines. Material and Methods: The therapeutic effect of Prima-1 was studied in two BC cell lines, T24, characterized by p53 mutation, and RT4, with no mutation in the p53 gene. Morphological features of apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential changes and expression of thirteen genes involved in p53-induced apoptosis were assessed by microscopic observation and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) Results: Prima-1 is able to reactivate P53 function in p53-mutated bladder cancer cell line promote apoptosis through the induction of Bax and Puma expression, activating the caspase cascade and disruption of mitochondrial membrane, independent of Bak, in T24 cell line (p53 mt). Conclusion: Prima-1 is able to restore the transcriptional activity of p53. Experimental studies in vivo could be conducted in order to test this molecule as a new therapeutic agent of the urothelial carcinoma of the bladder, which characteristically presents p53 mutation

Introdução: O carcinoma urotelial de bexiga (CUB) é o segundo tumor mais frequente do trato urinário. A perda da função do p53 é a alteração mais conhecida do carcinoma urotelial de alto grau invasivo. Prima-1 é uma pequena molécula, a qual restaura a função do p53 mutado promovendo a morte celular em vários tipos celulares. O objetivo do nosso estudo foi analisar o efeito do Prima-1 na indução da apoptose mediada por p53 após indução do dano ao DNA em linhagens de CUB. Material e métodos: O mecanismo de ação do Prima-1 foi avaliado em duas linhagens celulares de câncer de bexiga, T24 que tem como característica a mutação do p53 e RT4 que possui p53 intacto. Características morfológicas da apoptose, alterações no potencial de membrana mitocondrial e análise da expressão de treze genes envolvidos na apoptose mediada por p53 foram avaliados através de observação microscópica e reação em cadeia da polimerase em tempo real quantitativa (qRT-PCR). Resultados: Prima-1 foi capaz de reativar a função da P53 na linhagem de câncer de bexiga com p53 mt, promovendo a apoptose através da expressão de Bax e Puma, ativação da cascata das caspases e ruptura da membrana mitocondrial, independente de Bax, na linhagem celular T24 (p53 mt). Conclusão: Prima-1 foi capaz de restaurar a atividade transcricional de p53. Estudos experimentais in vivo poderiam ser conduzidos no intuito de testar essa molécula como um novo agente terapêutico do CUB de alto grau, invasivo, que apresenta caracteristicamente mutação de p53 / Introduction: Urothelial carcinoma of the bladder is the second most common tumor of the urinary tract. Loss of p53 function is the main genetic alteration related to the development of high-grade muscle-invasive disease. Prima-1 is a small molecule that restores tumor suppressor function to mutant p53 and induces cell death in various cancer types. Our aim is to investigate the ability of Prima-1 to induce apoptosis after DNA damage in BC cancer cell lines. Material and Methods: The therapeutic effect of Prima-1 was studied in two BC cell lines, T24, characterized by p53 mutation, and RT4, with no mutation in the p53 gene. Morphological features of apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential changes and expression of thirteen genes involved in p53-induced apoptosis were assessed by microscopic observation and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) Results: Prima-1 is able to reactivate P53 function in p53-mutated bladder cancer cell line promote apoptosis through the induction of Bax and Puma expression, activating the caspase cascade and disruption of mitochondrial membrane, independent of Bak, in T24 cell line (p53 mt). Conclusion: Prima-1 is able to restore the transcriptional activity of p53. Experimental studies in vivo could be conducted in order to test this molecule as a new therapeutic agent of the urothelial carcinoma of the bladder, which characteristically presents p53 mutation

O diagnóstico do câncer urológico causa profundas consequências na vida dos pacientes. Ainda que sejam considerados tumores com boas respostas terapêuticas, tal diagnóstico não é isento de sofrimento e interfere na qualidade de vida. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar os sentidos atribuídos à QV por sobreviventes do câncer urológico. Para subsidiar essa compreensão, foram utilizados o referencial teórico da antropologia médica e a metodologia narrativa. Participaram do estudo 12 participantes com diagnóstico de câncer urológico sob seguimento terapêutico em um hospital público no interior de São Paulo. A coleta de dados ocorreu de novembro de 2016 a novembro de 2017, por meio de entrevistas semiestruturas gravadas e observação direta, realizadas nos domicílios dos participantes e nas dependências da instituição de saúde. Com base nas entrevistas, foram construídas as narrativas, segundo o modelo centrado na experiência, utilizando os modelos explicativos empregados pelos participantes. A análise dos dados narrativos fundamentou-se na análise temática indutiva, e esses foram integrados em três sínteses narrativas temáticas, que correspondem às unidades de sentido. A primeira, O itinerário do câncer urológico: descobrindo-se como sobrevivente, destacou o processo de busca para identificação da anormalidade no corpo. A reação ao diagnóstico foi de surpresa e medo diante uma doença culturalmente associada à morte. Porém, de acordo com o modelo cultural dos participantes, diante de uma doença grave, faziase necessário aderir aos tratamentos médicos propostos, ainda que causassem sofrimento. A segunda síntese narrativa, O que eu era e o que sou hoje: as limitações no corpo e na vida, descreveu as complicações causadas pela tentativa de eliminar o câncer por meio dos diversos protocolos terapêuticos, o que ocasionou sofrimento do corpo físico, social, tristeza e baixa autoestima. Assim, essa síntese apresentou como sentido a liminaridade, pois, após o adoecimento, os sobreviventes assumiram outra identidade, que implicou viver com um novo conceito de normalidade de vida. Na terceira síntese, Qualidade de vida: sobreviver com harmonia, diante do processo de liminaridade vivenciado pelos sobreviventes e com base nas reações culturais aprendidas e compartilhadas pela comunidade onde estavam inseridos, eles buscaram harmonia para continuarem a viver e viver com QV. O sentido revelado por esta síntese foi sobreviver em harmonia com o corpo e suas limitações, assim como na esfera social e familiar, ter esperança e espiritualidade. Esta investigação permitiu analisar os sentidos atribuídos à QV por sobreviventes do câncer urológico e evidenciou como a cultura exerce influência na experiência da QV durante a sobrevivência a este tipo de câncer / The diagnosis of urologic cancer causes profound consequences in the life of patients. Although they are considered tumors with good responses to therapy, their diagnosis is not free from suffering and this interferes in their quality of life. The objective of this study was to analyze the meanings attributed to QOL for urologic cancer survivors in the medical anthropology approach. To support this understanding, we chose the theoretical framework of Medical Anthropology and the narrative method. After ethical approval, data collection began. Twelve participants diagnosed with urologic cancer were included in a therapeutic follow-up at a public hospital in the interior of São Paulo. Data collection took place from November 2016 to November 2017, through recorded semi-structured interviews and direct observation, carried out at the participants\' homes and in the premises of the health institution. Based on the interviews, the narratives were constructed according to the experience-centered model, using the explanatory models employed by the participants. The analysis of the narrative data was executed occurred according to the thematic and inductive analysis, where these were integrated into three thematic narrative syntheses, corresponding to the units of meaning. The first synthesis, The path of urologic cancer: discovering oneself as a survivor, highlighted the search process to identify the abnormality in the body. The reaction to the diagnosis was of surprise and fear when faced with a disease culturally associated with death. In their cultural model, however, in the face of a serious illness, adherence to the proposed medical treatments is necessary, even if it entails a burden of suffering. The second narrative synthesis, What I was and what I am today: limitations in the body and in life, describes the complications caused by the attempt to eliminate cancer from the body through the therapies, causing suffering of the physical and social body, sadness and low self-esteem. Thus, this synthesis presented liminality as a meaning because, after the illness, the survivors assume another identity, which implies living with a new normality in life. In the third synthesis, Quality of life: surviving with harmony, in view of the liminality process the survivors experience, based on cultural reactions learned and shared by their community, the survivors seek a harmony to continue living and to live with QoL. The sense of this synthesis is to survive in harmony with the body and its limitations, with the social, with the family, to have hope and spirituality. This research allowed us to analyze the meanings attributed to QoL for survivors of urologic cancer. The results presented show how culture influences the QoL experience in urologic cancer survival

I found that 2.6ml of 0.5% levobupivacaine had similar clinical characteristics as the same volume of 0.5% bupivacaine in spinal anaesthesia. Both were effective for spinal anaesthesia in urological surgery, when a sensory block up to at least T10 dermatome was required. In comparing the use of levobupivacaine alone and levobupivacaine with fentanyl, there were no significant differences in haemodynamic changes and quality of sensory and motor block, when 2.6ml of levobupivacaine alone or 2.3ml of levobupivacaine with fentanyl 15mcg (0.3ml) were used in spinal anaesthesia. Both were effective for spinal anaesthesia in urological surgery. In comparing the use of ropivacaine 10mg and bupivacaine 10mg, both with fentanyl 15mcg in spinal anaesthesia for urological surgery, all the patients achieved adequate level of sensory block up to T10 dermatome or higher. The two drugs were similar in the onset time of motor block, the characteristics of sensory block and haemodynamic changes; however, the duration of motor block was shorter with ropivacaine. I concluded that both studied solutions, ropivacaine-fentanyl and bupivacaine-fentanyl, were effective for spinal anaesthesia in urological surgery and the duration of motor block was shorter with the ropivacaine-fentanyl solution. The dose-response relationship of ropivacaine in spinal anaesthesia for lower limb surgery requiring a sensory block up to at least the T12 dermatome was defined. Anaesthesia was successful in 0, 0, 42, 83 and 100% when ropivacaine at doses of 2, 4, 7, 10 and 14mg respectively were given. The derived values for ED50 and ED95 were 7.6mg and 11.4mg respectively. The cephalic level of sensory block and the degree of motor block increased with larger doses of ropivacaine. Finally, the median effective dose (ED50) of bupivacaine, levobupivacaine and ropivacaine in spinal anaesthesia for lower limb surgery were defined as 5.50mg (95% CI: 4.90--6.10mg), 5.68mg (95% CI: 4.92--6.44mg), and 8.41mg (95% CI: 7.15--9.67mg) respectively. The relative potency ratios were 0.97 (95% CI: 0.81--1.17) for levobupivacaine/bupivacaine, 0.65 (95% CI: 0.54--0.80) for ropivacaine/bupivacaine and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.55--0.84) for ropivacainellevobupivacaine. / In this series of studies, I have shown that levobupivacaine and ropivacaine are effective local anaesthetic agents for spinal anaesthesia in lower limb and urological surgery. This proved my hypothesis. Both are suitable alternatives to bupivacaine for spinal anaesthesia. Furthermore, these studies showed that ropivacaine is less potent than levobupivacaine and bupivacaine and the potency is similar between levobupivacaine and bupivacaine at median effective dose. / Levobupivacaine and ropivacaine are two relatively new local anaesthetics which were developed in view of their potential for less cardiotoxicity in comparison with bupivacaine, the most common local anaesthetic used in spinal anaesthesia for many years. Both are produced in pure S(-) enantiomer form in contrast to bupivacaine which is a racemic mixture. They have been shown to be effective in peripheral nerve blocks, and epidural analgesia and anaesthesia; nevertheless, experience of their use in spinal anaesthesia is limited. The objective of this thesis was to evaluate their use in spinal anaesthesia for surgery in non-obstetric patients. My hypothesis was that levobupivacaine and ropivacaine are effective local anaesthetic agents for spinal anaesthesia in lower limb and urological surgery. In order to test this hypothesis, I conducted five clinical studies on 269 patients who had urological surgery or lower limb surgery under spinal or combined spinal-epidural anaesthesia. First, I investigated the efficacy and clinical characteristics of levobupivacaine and the mixture of levobupivacaine with fentanyl in spinal anaesthesia. Next, I compared the use of ropivacaine-fentanyl with bupivacaine-fentanyl in spinal anaesthesia. Finally, I defined the dose-response relationship of ropivacaine in spinal anaesthesia using traditional dose-response methodology and defined the relative potency among levobupivacaine, ropivacaine and bupivacaine by comparing the defined ED50 in spinal anaesthesia using up-down sequential allocation method. / Lee, Ying Yin. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-06, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (M.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-150). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.

This project was undertaken with the following aims: 1) To generate a data base concerning the management of children with congenital spinal anomalies, who are known to form a significant proportion of the patients being treated in the Department of Paediatric Urology at Red Cross Hospital. 2) To assess the results of the management of these children, with special attention to the goals of therapy, namely preservation of renal function, establishment of urinary continence and protection from urinary tract infection. 3) To compare the treatment methods and results obtained to those reported in the literature. 4) To evaluate critically the treatment methods and results obtained with a view to identifying areas where improvements are possible.

The skeletal system is the most common site of metastatic cancer spread. Bone metastases are often associated with severe morbidity, pain and functional impairment. Timely diagnosis and proper treatment may decrease morbidity, improve quality of life and in some cases even improve survival. External beam radiotherapy may effectively give pain relief in patients with painful bone metastases. In bone metastases from castration-resistant prostate cancer or urothelial bladder cancer, treatment with zoledronic acid or denosumab may reduce skeletal-related events. In contrast to castration-resistant prostate cancer, in patients with bone metastases from bladder cancer such treatment may even improve survival. On the other hand, the efficacy of these agents is questionable in patients with bone involvement from metastatic renal cell carcinoma or germ cell tumors. When bisphosphonates or denosumab are considered in such cases, the potential benefits of treatment should be critically weighed against the risk of side effects. In germ cell tumors, bone metastases may be cured by cisplatin-based chemotherapy, however, there are only limited data on the specific management of residual disease. Oligometastases may be treated by stereotactic radiotherapy or – especially in patients with renal cell carcinoma – by surgical resection and endoprosthetic replacement. Limited data are available on the management of bone involvement in germ cell tumors. Decisions on the resection or local radiotherapy of residual disease should be individualized considering the overall response and the feasibility and risks of resection.

Dans ce travail, le concept d'approche mini-invasive est décrit dans sa globalité. Pour les chirurgiens pédiatres le concept a été analysé de manière systématique en répondant aux problématiques cliniques des patients dans tous les champs d'application. La somme de ce travail a le tour de force de répondre à toutes les grandes questions qui ont été posées lors des premiers temps de la coelioscopie pédiatrique, mais aussi de répondre, pour les plus récents, à des interrogations concernant les perspectives. Cette Thèse a donc pour objectif de développer l'évolution de la vidéochirurgie chez l'enfant et de mettre en valeur certaines applications que nous avons travaillées dans les différents domaines de la coelioscopie pédiatrique : tout d'abord dans la tolérance et la sécurité de la vidéochirurgie; puis ses applications en Chirurgie Digestive et Thoracique, en Rétropéritonéoscopie, en Oncologie et en Urologie ; mais aussi ses applications dans des techniques avancées de chirurgie néonatale ainsi que l'introduction de techniques encore moins invasives comme la chirurgie assistée par aimant ou des techniques non opératoires utilisées dans le traitement de certaines malformations de la paroi thoracique, en démontrant leurs bénéfices et leur efficacité / In this work, the concept of minimal invasive approach is described in its entirety. For pediatric surgeons, the concept was analyzed systematically meeting the clinical problems of patients in all fields of application. The result of this work is to answer all the big questions that were asked during the early days of the pediatric laparoscopy but also to respond to the latest questions about the perspectives. The goal of this thesis is to describe the evolution of laparoscopy in pediatric, and to report some applications. We have worked in several fields such as: Tolerance and safety of laparoscopy in advanced neonatal surgery, and its applications in Digestive Surgery, Thoracic, Retroperitoneoscopy, Oncology and Urology. This also introduces the use of less invasive techniques, such as magnet-assisted surgery of non-operative techniques in the correction on chest wall deformities, demonstrating their efficacity and efficiency

Background: Data on the impact of gender on mortality after radical cystectomy is conflicting. We investigated a large single center sample with long-term follow-up in order to determine the relationship between gender and outcome. Patients and Methods: A total of 1,184 consecutive patients who underwent radical cystectomy for high risk superficial or muscle-invasive urothelial or undifferentiated bladder cancer between 1993 and 2015 were stratified by gender. Demographic data was compared using Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, or Fisher exact test. Cox proportional hazard models were used for the analysis of competing risks and logit models were used for the prediction of the receipt of adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Results: Female patients were older, healthier, less frequently current smokers and had more extravesical tumors. In the multivariate analyses, female gender was an independent predictor of (lower) non-bladder cancer (competing) mortality (hazards ratio [HR] 0.68, 95% CI 0.49–0.95, p = 0.0248) but no predictor of bladder cancer-specific mortality (HR in the full model 1.20, 95% CI 0.94–1.54, p = 0.15). Gender was no predictor of the receipt of adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Conclusions: Female gender was associated with an increased risk of extravesical disease but was no independent predictor of bladder cancer-specific mortality. Anatomical differences might be a plausible explanation for these observations.