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The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), phosphorylated-mTOR (p-mTOR), and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) in prostate cancer (PCa) in order to assess intratumoral heterogeneity and correlation with clinicopathological parameters. Tissue samples from 115 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy were included in a tissue microarray comprising (A) tissue from the tumor center, (B) malignant border of the tumor, (C) tumor-adjacent benign tissue, and (D) tumor-distant benign prostatic tissue. Immune reactive scores 0-12 were correlated with clinical data in reference to localization. A meta-analysis of studies investigating the association between biochemical recurrence (BCR) and parameters of the mTOR pathway was conducted. Regardless of the location within the tumor, cancer tissue showed higher expression of mTOR, p-mTOR, and 4EB-P1 compared to benign tissue ( p < 0.01). Significant differences in expression between tissue samples from groups C and D were observed for mTOR and p-mTOR. When considering expression according to the pathological stage, we observed lower p-mTOR expression in pT3 vs. pT2 (7.9 and 6.3; p = 0.01). After a median follow-up of 74.5 months (IQR 65.0-84.0), 27 patients (23.47%) developed BCR. Weak staining of mTOR was associated with shorter time to BCR (HR: 2.0; p = 0.049) after correcting for PSA and T stage. However, a significant association of mTOR expression with BCR was found for specimens from the malignant border of the tumor (B) but not the tumor center (A) ( p = 0.0034 log rank). In a meta-analysis, we found that the expressions of mTOR ((RR) = 0.70; 95% CI 0.43-1.12; p = 0.13) and 4E-BP1 ((RR) = 0.86; p = 0.53) were not statistically associated with BCR, while strong staining of p-mTOR was associated with a lower risk of BCR ((RR) = 0.57; p = 0.002). All 3 markers showed stronger expression in PCa and exhibited local gradients in relation to the border of tumor and healthy tissue. Our results suggest an important role of intratumor heterogeneity for the use of mTOR parameters as biomarkers in PCa., Competing Interests: Each author declares no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Giorgio Ivan Russo et al.)

Introduction: In the last decade therapeutic options for patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) have constantly increased. Although transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is still considered the surgical gold standard, different lasers and advanced techniques have been introduced as alternatives to TURP., Evidence Acquisition: A non-systematic Medline/Pubmed literature search was performed with different combination of terms including: "BPH," "M-TURP," "B-TURP" "bladder outlet obstruction," "YAG laser," "Diode laser," "Potassium titanyl phosphate," "KTP," "bladder outlet obstruction" (BOO), "BOO in small prostate". Only studies reporting prostate volume ≤40 cc were considered for this review., Evidence Syntesis: Current evidence on the use of laser as a therapeutic modality as compared to TURP reported similar functional results of bipolar-TURP, Thulium laser and Greenlight. For prostate gland ≤40 cc, HoLEP can be technically more difficult while Holmium-TUIP seems to be a valid option but with a higher rate of retrograde ejaculation which is considerably higher than the rate in electrocautery series. The diode laser showed excellent intra-operatively haemostasis with clear endoscopic vision and durable improvements in functional results, but may produce greater passive thermal energy conduction that can cause scrotal edema and anal pain. However, conclusions need to be drawn after median to long term evaluation of patients and consideration of the economic implications, coupled with the potential for reducing morbidity., Conclusions: Evidence acquisition from the literature showed that mini-invasive surgeries, including Greenlight laser and Holmium laser incision represent valid alternatives to TURP in prostate ≤40 g. We reported effective results of laser therapy as therapeutic modalities as compared to TURP for the small prostate ≤40 mL, both for enucleation and excision or cauterization, however cost effective of laser in the current literature are still scarce and it should be implemented.

Background: Papillomavirus (HPV) often occurs in the semen of patients with male accessory gland infection (MAGI). Ultrasound (US) evaluation has been suggested as a promising diagnostic tool for patients with HPV-related MAGI. No data on the spontaneous clearance of HPV-DNA have been reported so far in HPV-related MAGI., Purpose: The primary aim of the study was to assess the percentage of early HPV-DNA spontaneous clearance in patients with prostatitis. The secondary aim was to evaluate the frequency of spontaneous clearance of HPV-DNA among patients with prostatitis associated with the presence or absence of US abnormalities., Methods: Patients with inflammatory MAGI and at least one suspicious criterion for HPV infection underwent semen HPV-DNA detection and prostate US. The presence of HPV-DNA was further investigated after a 6-month-long follow-up., Main Results: Eighty patients satisfied the inclusion criteria and were recruited in the study. 69% of patients (55/80) showed HPV-DNA persistence in the semen. Among them, 82% (45/55) was positive for US signs of prostatitis, while they occurred only in 12% (3/25) of those patients with no sign of HPV-DNA persistence (p < 0.001). All patients with persistent high-risk HPV genotype (n = 30) showed at least two US signs of prostatitis. In 73% of patients (22/30), E6 and E7 mRNAs were detected., Conclusion: US signs of prostatitis more frequently occurred in patients with evidence of HPV-DNA persistence on semen, especially in those with high-risk genotypes. This highlights the importance of US in the framework of HPV-related MAGI.

Background: Nowadays, serodiscordant couples (SDCs) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected men have the chance to conceive safely, giving birth with a minimum risk of cross-infection., Objective: To assess the impact of male HIV and HCV infection on the assisted reproductive technologies (ART) outcomes in SDCs, with HIV or HCV seropositive men and negative partners., Materials and Methods: Of 153 couples: 24 in Group 1 (HIV-seropositive men), 60 in Group 2 (HCV-seropositive men) and 69 in Group 3 (controls). Sperm-washing procedure was performed using a three-step system. Fresh ICSI cycles were carried out in HIV SDCs, HCV SDCs and controls. Seminal parameters, fertilization rate (FR), cleavage rate (CR), pregnancy rate per cycle (PR/C), miscarriage rate, implantation rate (IR) and live birth rate were evaluated., Results: All the seropositive men have undetectable viral loads at the time of insemination, and both partners were free from co-morbid infections. The median number of embryos transferred was 2.0 (IQR 1.0-3.0), with no differences among groups. FR was significantly reduced in HIV and HCV SDCs compared to the controls (66%, 61% and 75%, respectively; p < 0.01). CR was similar between groups (p = 0.3). IR was 12.1%, 11.1% and 14.1%, respectively, in the three groups (p = 0.30). PR/C was 21.7%, 17.6% and 20.2% in HIV, HCV and controls, respectively. Live birth rate per cycle was 17.4%, 15.7% and 15.9%, respectively. There were no significant differences in clinical pregnancies per cycle, as well as miscarriages and live births (p = 0.30; 0.30; 0.60, respectively)., Conclusions: The sperm-washing technique with ICSI may generate a promising way to improve pregnancy outcomes and to reduce the risk of viral transmission in these couples. In this setting, we can correctly counsel HIV- and HCV-infected men of SDCs with regard to the likelihood of father their own biological child., (© 2019 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.)

Purpose: Aim of this systematic review is to evaluate functional outcomes (Qmax, QoL, IPSS, PVR), sexual outcome (erectile dysfunction and anejaculation rate), and adverse events evaluated according to the Clavien-Dindo classification., Methods: The bibliographic search with the included terms (prostate, benign prostatic hyperplasia, benign prostatic enlargement, lower urinary tract symptoms, water jet dissection, aquablation, Aquabeam®) produced a literature of 32 articles altogether. After removing papers of not interest or articles which the outcomes could not be deduced, nine studies were examined for a total of 664 patients screened., Results: The functional outcomes, evaluated after water jet dissection, have shown improvement with respect to the baseline in all the selected articles. In the comparison papers with the TURP, the Aquablation has been statistically not inferior regarding functional outcomes. The sexual outcomes have highlighted a better ejaculation rate for water jet dissection than TURP. Regarding the adverse events, water jet dissection documented low rates of adverse events and, in comparison studies, were not statistically superior than TURP., Conclusions: In our systematic review, the Aquabeam® System for the treatment of LUTS/BPH has proven to be a safe technique that provides functional outcomes comparable to TURP. About sexual outcomes, the most important data is certainly the low rate of retrograde ejaculation. However, other multicenter randomized trials with larger cohorts and longer follow-up are still needed.

During the last years, pharmaceutical innovations in primary care are dramatically less frequent and will be even more rare in the next future. In this context, preclinical and clinical research oriented their interest toward natural compounds efficacy and safety, supporting the development of a new "nutraceutical" science. Medicinal plants, in the form of plant parts or extracts of them, are commonly used for the treatment of prostate diseases such as benign hypertrophy, prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome. The pharmacological properties searched for the treatment of prostatic diseases are anti-androgenic, anti-estrogenic, antiproliferative, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. The most studied and used medicinal plants are Serenoa repens, Pygeum africanum and Urtica dioica. Other promising plants are Cucurbita pepo, Epilobium spp, Lycopersum esculentum, Secale cereale, Roystonea regia, Vaccinium macrocarpon. In parallel, epidemiological studies demonstrated that diet may play an important role on incidence and development of prostatic diseases. The Mediterranean diet is rich of elements with anti-oxidant properties that act as a protective factor for prostatic cancer. Similarly, low intake of animal protein, high intake of fruits and vegetable, lycopene and zinc are a protective factor for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Serenoa repens in the treatment of symptoms of BPH has been tested either alone or, more frequently, in combination with other medicinal plants, alpha-blockers and inhibitors of 5- alpha reductase (5-ARI). Recent meta-analyses found the effectiveness of Serenoa repens similar or inferior of that of finasteride and tamsulosin but clearly higher than that of placebo in the treatment of mild and moderate low urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), nocturia and discomfort. Clinical trials showed potential synergistic effect of Serenoa repens with other medicinal plants and drugs. In addition to Serenoa repens, there are many other medicinal plants for which clinical evidence is still controversial. Urtica dioica, Pygeum africanum and Curcubita pepo can be considered as an adjunct to the common therapies and their use is supported by studies showing improvement of symptoms and flowmetric indices. Lycopene and selenium are natural products with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action. The combination of lycopene and selenium with Serenoa repens was able to reduce inflammation in histological prostate sections and to further improve symptom scores and urinary flow in patients with BPH on tamsulosin treatment. Similar effects could be obtained with the use of other carotenoids, such as astaxanthin, and/or zinc. Efficacy on symptoms of patients with BPH of some polyphenols such as quercitin, equol and curcumin have been demonstrated by clinical studies. Pollen extract is a mixture of natural components able to inhibit several cytokines and prostaglandin and leukotriene synthesis resulting in a potent anti-inflammatory effect. Pollen extracts significantly improve symptoms, pain, and quality of life in patients affected by chronic pelvic pain syndrome and chronic prostatitis. Beta-sitosterol is a sterol able to improve urinary symptoms and flow measures, but not to reduce the size of the prostate gland. Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is an endogenous fatty acid amide-signaling molecule with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects that can have an interesting role in the management of chronic pelvic pain syndrome and chronic urological pain. Finally, several plant-based products have been subjected to preclinical, in vitro and in vivo, investigations for their potential pharmacological activity against prostate cancer. Some epidemiological studies or clinical trials evaluated the effects of beverages, extracts or food preparations on the risk of prostate cancer. Some plant species deserved more intense investigation, such as Camelia sinensis (green or black tea), Solanum lycopersicum (common tomato), Punica granatum (pomegranate), Glycine max (common soy) and Linum usitatissimum (linen).

Introduction: The aim of this study is to accomplish a systematic review on the surgical techniques available for male-to-female gender assignment surgery (MtoF GAS) published in the last 15 years, from January 2002 to May 2017, assessing advantages and disadvantages., Evidence Acquisition: A specific search on MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science databases included vaginoplasty for gender exchange. Preoperative (age, gender, body mass index, prior surgery), intraoperative (mean operating time, intraoperative complications, transfusion rate, conversion rate), postoperative (hospital stays, readmission rate, early and late complication rate), postoperative sexual activity, subjective satisfaction, vaginal depth, and long-term outcomes (vaginal stenosis, prolapse, dyspareunia and labial abscess) data of vaginoplasty for sexual exchange were collected. 29 articles were included (2.402 patients)., Evidence Synthesis: Out of the 29 papers, 19 studies assessed penile skin inversion and 10 evaluated intestinal vaginoplasty. No comparative studies were found. Penile skin inversion vaginoplasty reported slightly shorter operative time compared to intestinal vaginoplasty (109-420 vs 145-420 minutes). Intraoperative complications for penile skin inversion vaginoplasty not exceeded an incidence of 10%. No significant differences in terms of postoperative complications or hospitalization time were reported. Intestinal vaginoplasty provides a deeper neovagina. Female Sexual Function Index score was significantly higher in patients undergoing intestinal vaginoplasty., Conclusions: A standardized data collection may allow a better understanding of effectiveness and outcomes of different techniques.

Introduction: Low-intensity shockwave therapy (LISWT) has been investigated for the treatment of uroandrological disorders including erectile dysfunction (ED), Peyronie's disease (PD) and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) with controversial findings., Aim: To review the evidence on LISWT for ED, PD, and CP/CPPS and provide clinical recommendations on behalf of the European Society of Sexual Medicine., Methods: Medline and Embase databases were searched for randomized clinical trials (RCTs), meta-analyses and open-label prospective or retrospective studies investigating the effect of LISWT on ED, PD, or CP/CPPS., Outcomes: The panel provided statements on clinically relevant questions concerning LISWT: (i) treatment efficacy, (ii) treatment protocol, (iii) clinical indications, and (iv) safety. The level of evidence was provided according to the Oxford 2011 criteria and graded using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine recommendations., Results: 11 RCTs and 5 meta-analyses investigated LISWT for ED. RCTs provided controversial results on the efficacy of LISWT and were affected by high heterogeneity and the small number of patients included. Pooled-data analysis showed an overall positive effect in terms of erectile function improvement but reported small estimates and included a largely heterogeneous cohort of patients. 4 RCTs and 1 meta-analysis assessed LISWT for PD. All trials showed positive findings in terms of pain relief but no effect on penile curvature and plaque size. Inclusion criteria vary widely among studies, and further investigation is needed. 5 RCTs investigated LISWT for CP/CPPS. Data showed a possible effect on pain relief, although there is no evidence supporting that pain relief was maintained or any improvement in pain over time., Clinical Implications: LISWT needs to be further investigated in the context of sexual medicine and is almost but not yet ready for clinical practice., Strengths and Limitations: All studies have been evaluated by a panel of experts providing recommendations for clinical practice., Conclusions: LISWT is a safe and well-tolerated procedure but its efficacy for the treatment of ED is doubtful and deserves more investigation. Patients reporting pain associated with PD may benefit from LISWT, although no effect is expected on disease progression. LISWT is not a primary treatment for CP/CPPS, but it may be considered as an option to relieve pain. Capogrosso P, Frey A, Jensen CFS, et al. Low-Intensity Shock Wave Therapy in Sexual Medicine-Clinical Recommendations from the European Society of Sexual Medicine (ESSM). J Sex Med 2019;16:1490-1505., (Copyright © 2019 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Despite the high rate of resolution, ejaculatory dysfunction still is the most common side effect related to surgical treatment of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). The aim of the present systematic review was to compare several technological treatment modalities for the management of lower urinary tract symptoms/BOO in terms of functional and sexual outcomes., Evidence Acquisition: All English language randomized controlled trials assessing the impact of different endoscopic treatments for BOO were evaluated. We followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses) statement to evaluate PubMed®, Scopus®, and Web of Science™ databases (up to June 2019)., Evidence Synthesis: Our electronic search identified a total of 2221 papers in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Of these, 142 publications were identified for detailed review, which yielded 21 included in the present systematic review. All groups appeared similar with regards to preoperative IPSS/AUA Score, Qmax, and prostate volume (cc). Patients undergoing endoscopic treatments using ThuLEP, Greenlight or Prostate Artery Embolization techniques had lower-but not statistically significant- relative risk (RR) of retrograde ejaculation compared with conventional transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) (RR: 0.90; P=0.35; RR: 0.71; P=0.1; RR0.73; P=0.11). Efficacy of those techniques was equal to TURP., Conclusions: Data reporting anterograde ejaculation preservation after endoscopic treatment in patients with benign prostatic enlargement are sparse and heterogeneous. Pooled analyses suggest that new technological alternatives to conventional TURP might improve sexual outcomes, especially for non-ablative treatments.

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to determine the role of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in the management of Peyronie's disease (PD)., Materials and Methods: A total of 325 patients suffering from PD were enrolled in this single-arm clinical study. All patients were received ESWT using a schedule of 1 treatment/wk. Penile curvature was measured by a goniometer after intracavernosal drug-induced erection using Alprostadil. Plaque size was measured with a ruler and sexual function assessed by the international index of erectile function (IIEF)-15 score. Severity of erectile dysfunction was classified as severe (IIEF-15 ≤10), moderate (IIEF-15 between 11 and 16), or mild (IIEF-15 between 17 and 25). Results were evaluated at baseline and 3 months after the treatment., Results: All the patients completed the study protocol. Median age was 59.0 years (55.0-64.0 years). After treatment, the median (interquartile range, IQR) plaque size reduced from 1.78 cm² (1.43-2.17 cm²) to 1.53 cm² (1.31-1.96 cm²) (p<0.001); the median (IQR) penile length in erection increased from 13.0 cm (12.0-14.0 cm) to 14 cm (13.0-15.0 cm) (p<0.001) and the median (IQR) penile curvature from 30.4° (22.2°-35.4°) to 25.0° (20.2°-30.4°) (p<0.001). We also observed a decrease in pain assessed by visual analogue scale (7 vs . 3; p<0.001), an improvement in each of the IIEF sub-domains (p<0.001) and an improvement in all three PD questionnaire domains (p<0.001)., Conclusions: Based on our findings, ESWT could be considered a safe and efficient minimally invasive option for the management of the patients suffering from PD., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2019 Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology.)

We performed a systematic review of studies evaluating the impact of surgery for lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostate enlargement (LUTS/BPE) on both erectile and ejaculatory functions. In June 2018, we searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 1998 and 2018 in which both functions were assessed using questionnaires. Overall, 15 studies were identified. Pre-operatively, mean International Index of Erectile Function -5 (IIEF-5) and mean IIEF-Erectile Function (EF) scores ranged from 13.3 to 20.8, and from 13.7 to 22.3, respectively. At follow-up evaluations, mean IIEF-5 and mean IIEF-EF scores did not significantly vary (13.4 to 20.7 and 14.4 to 24.3, respectively). Mean baseline Male Sexual Health Questionnaire- Ejaculatory Disease function score at baseline and follow-up evaluations ranged from 8.7 to 10.6, and from 4.9 to 11.9, respectively. Ejaculatory function significantly worsened in three studies after transurethral resection of the prostate and significantly improved in 2 studies after prostate urethral lift implant. In conclusions, available RCTs evaluating both erectile and ejaculatory functions after surgical procedures for LUTS/BPE fail to demonstrate significant variations in terms of erectile function scores while providing significant variations of ejaculatory function scores that are heterogeneous depending on the procedure adopted.

Background: The number of virtual reality (VR) simulators is increasing. The aim of this prospective trial was to determine the benefit of VR cystoscopy (UC) and transurethral bladder tumor resection (TURBT) training in students., Design, Setting, and Participants: Medical students without endoscopic experience (n=51, median age=25 yr, median 4th academic year) were prospectively randomized into groups A and B. After an initial VR-UC and VR-TURBT task, group A (n=25) underwent a video-based tutorial by a skilled expert. Group B (n=26) was trained using a VR training program (Uro-Trainer). Following the training, every participant performed a final VR-UC and VR-TURBT task. Performance indicators were recorded via the simulator. Data was analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test., Intervention: VR cystoscopy and TURBT., Results and Limitations: No baseline and post-training differences were found for VR-UC between groups. During baseline, VR-TURBT group A showed higher inspected bladder surface than group B (56% vs 73%, p=0.03). Subgroup analysis detected differences related to sex before training (male: 31.2% decreased procedure time; 38.1% decreased resectoscope movement; p=0.02). After training, significant differences in procedure time (3.9min vs 2.7min, p=0.007), resectoscope movement (857mm vs 529mm, p=0.005), and accidental bladder injury (n=3.0 vs n=0.88, p=0.003) were found. Male participants showed reduced blood loss (males: 3.92ml vs females: 10.12ml; p=0.03) after training., Conclusions: Measuring endoscopic skills within a virtual environment can be done easily. Short training improved efficacy and safety of VR-TURBT. Nevertheless, transfer of improved VR performance into real world surgery needs further clarification., Patient Summary: We investigated how students without endoscopic experience profit from simulation-based training. The safe environment and repeated simulations can improve the surgical training. It may be possible to enhance patient's safety and the training of surgeons in long term., (Copyright © 2018 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The relationship between male systemic inflammation and fertility seems intriguing, but no data about its impact on the assisted reproductive technology outcomes has been reported. Here, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of male systemic inflammatory parameters in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes prediction, in couples undergoing an ovum donation program., Materials and Methods: From January 2016 to December 2017, one hundred-ten couples were considered for this cross-sectional study. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-eosinophil ratio (MER), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), seminal parameters, fertilization rate (FR), cleavage rate (CR), pregnancy rate (PR) were evaluated. Male patients were divided into Group A with FR ≤70%, Group B with FR >70%., Results: Overall, FR was 74.5%, CR 90.9%, PR 41.8%. Group A included 43 patients, Group B 67 men. Group A showed a median NLR of 1.55, PLR of 106.09, MER of 2.33. Group B reported a median NLR of 1.64, PLR 109.0, MER 2.76. We found no statistically differences between two groups with respect to NLR, PLR, MER (p=0.90, p=0.70, p=0.96, respectively). The age-adjusted linear regression analysis demonstrated only a relationship between NLR and sperm motility count (r=-0.02; p<0.05). Using the univariate logistic regression analysis, we found no significant associations., Conclusions: We did not find any relationship between ICSI outcomes and male inflammation parameters., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2019 Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology.)

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and the sixth leading cause of death from cancer worldwide. Countries following a Mediterranean-type dietary pattern, has been reported to have lower PCa incidence and mortality compared with other European regions. A population-based case-control study has been conducted from January 2015 to December 2016 in a single institution of the municipality of Catania, southern Italy. A total of 118 PCa and 238 population-based controls were collected. Controls had significantly higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which was evident for several subgroups (including age groups, overweight and obese men, current smokers, alcohol intake, low and medium physical activity levels). PCa cases were found to consume lower amount of vegetables (223 g/d vs. 261 g/d; p = 0.001), legumes (34.26 g/d vs. 53.55 g/d; p = 0.003), and fish (47.75 g/d vs. 58.3 g/d) than controls; other differences emerged were related to alcohol intake (12.37 g/d vs 5.07 g/d; p < 0.01), cereals (254.06 g/d vs.235.94 g/d; p < 0.001), dairy (196 g/d vs. 166 g/d; p < 0.001), and meat consumption (98.09 g/d vs. 70.15 g/d; p < 0.001). However, no statistically significant differences between cases and controls were found regarding fruit, legumes, and olive oil consumption. The Mediterranean diet score was inversely associated with lower likelihood of having PCa in a linear manner (odds ratio [OR]: 0.86 [95% CI 0.77-0.96]). Specifically, individuals in the highest group of adherence had 78% less likelihood of have PCa and 14% less likelihood for each point increase of the score. The model adjusted for total polyphenol intake showed still a significant inverse association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and PCa, but the relation was no more linear and not significant for one-point increase of the score (OR: 0.88 [95% CI 0.77-1.01]). In our cohorts of Italian men, we observed that high adherence to the Mediterranean diet was inversely associated with likelihood of having PCa cancer.

Low intensity extracorporal shock wave therapy (Li-ESWT) may induce tissue regeneration, neo-angiogenesis and improve endothelial function. This has shown promise in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). The aim of this narrative review was to describe potential therapeutic areas of Li-ESWT in sexual medicine other than ED. An extensive literature search and review of the most recent guidelines revealed that Li-ESWT has been used in the treatment of Peyronie's disease (PD) and is being investigated as a method of improving stem cell therapy. In PD, Li-ESWT has been shown to decrease pain but no clinically relevant benefits regarding plaque size or penile curvature have been shown in randomized clinical trials. For stem cell optimization, only two preclinical studies have been conducted within the realm of sexual medicine. These show that application of Li-ESWT to the tissue after stem cell transplantation may increase the erectile response following cavernous nerve or diabetes damage. More research is needed to bring this concept from bench to bedside. In addition to this, Li-ESWT has shown promise in pelvic pain and it's effects on testicles have been preliminarily investigated in preclinical studies.

Background: The use of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in the setting of patients under active surveillance (AS) is promising. In this systematic-review we aimed to analyse the role of mpMRI in patients under AS., Methods: A comprehensive literature research for English-language original and review articles, recently published, was carried out using Medline, Scopus and Web of sciences databases until 30 October 2017. The following MeSH terms were used: 'active surveillance', 'prostate cancer', 'multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging'. A diagnostic meta-analysis was performed for 3.0 T mpMRI in predicting disease re-classification., Results: In total, 226 studies were selected after research and after removal of duplicates. After analysis on inclusion criteria, 43 studies were identified as eligible for this systematic review with a total of 6,605 patients. The timing of MRI during follow-up of AS differed from all studies like criteria for inclusion in the AS protocol. Overall, there was a low risk of bias across all studies. The diagnostic meta-analysis for 1.5 tesla showed a sensitivity of 0.60, negative predictive value (NPV) of 0.75 and a hierarchical summary receiving operating curve (HSROC) of 0.74 while for 3.0 tesla mpMRI a sensitivity of 0.81, a NPV of 0.78 and a HSROC of 0.83., Conclusions: Overall, the available evidence suggests that both 1.5 or 3.0 Tesla mpMRI are a valid tool to monitor progression during AS follow-up, showing good accuracy capabilities in detecting PCa re-classification. However, the modality to better define what means 'disease progression' on mpMRI must be further evaluated.

Introduction: Varicocele is often associated with impaired sperm parameters. Different procedures have been developed for varicocele treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of varicocele treatment on conventional sperm parameters., Materials and Methods: We compared two different techniques of intervention: surgical varicocelectomy and sclerotherapy. We also evaluated the number of varicocele recurrences and the pregnancy rate. We included 102 patients (mean age 29.8 ± 0.8 years) with ultrasound diagnosis of varicocele. We excluded patients whose ultrasound evaluation and/or sperm parameters were not known before and after varicocele correction. We divided the patients (excluding 8 with azoospermia) into two subgroups: surgical varicocelectomy (n = 44) and sclerotherapy (n = 50). For each patient, we compared conventional sperm parameters before and after varicocele correction., Results: After varicocele correction, we found a significant improvement in sperm concentration, total count and total motility. Considering the two subgroups, baseline sperm parameters did not differ significantly. Sperm concentration and total count increased significantly after varicocele correction by varicocelectomy. Varicocele correction by sclerotherapy resulted in a significant increase in sperm concentration, progressive and total motility. We found varicocele recurrence in 32% of patients who underwent varicocelectomy and in 19.7% of patients undergoing sclerotherapy. The pregnancy rate was higher after sclerotherapy (28%) than after surgical varicocelectomy (13%)., Conclusion: Varicocele treatment must be recommended when other causes of infertility have been treated. Our results suggest the use of sclerotherapy for varicocele repair., Level of Evidence: 2 b.

Objective: To analyze the performance of two mobile phone apps-the Rotterdam prostate cancer risk app and the Coral app-in a cohort of patients undergoing prostate biopsies., Methods: A consecutive series of men undergoing prostate biopsies were enrolled in two centers. Indications for prostate biopsy included abnormal prostate-specific antigen levels (PSA >4 ng/mL) and/or an abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE). Prostate cancer risk and high-grade prostate cancer risk were assessed using the Rotterdam prostate cancer risk app (iOS) and the Coral app (iOS). The usability of the apps was also assessed and compared using the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ) developed by IBM., Results: Overall, 1682 patients with a median age of 68 (62-73) years were enrolled. The Rotterdam app outperformed the Coral app in the prediction of prostate cancer (AUC: 0.70 versus 0.631, p = 0.001) and of high-grade prostate cancer (0.75 versus 0.69, p = 0.001) (Fig. 1). PSSUQ data revealed that both Rotterdam and Coral applications were comparable in terms of usefulness (87% versus 83%, p = 0.708), information quality (74% versus 72%, p = 0.349), interface quality (79% versus 74%, p = 0.216) and satisfaction (76% versus 76%, p = 0.935), respectively. In terms of preferences, 26/50 (54%) preferred the Rotterdam app, while 24/50 (46%) preferred the Coral app., Conclusion: In our experience the Rotterdam App outperformed the Coral App for the prediction of prostate cancer or high-grade cancer diagnosis. In particular we confirmed, using the Rotterdam app, that only one out of ten patients with a low Rotterdam score will harbor high-grade prostate cancer on biopsy., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Background: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of paternal age on the oocyte-donation outcomes in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles., Methods: Two hundred and seventy-eight infertile couples were retrospectively involved. Inclusion criteria were: infertility from almost 1 year, normal or sub-fertile seminal parameters, overall oocyte survival rate greater than 85%. Baseline characteristics included male age, recipient age, male body mass index (BMI), smoking, drinking status. Main outcome measures: fertilization rate (FR), cleavage rate (CR), pregnancy rate (PR)., Results: Patients were categorized in group 1 ≤45, group 2 >45 years. A total of 1,724 frozen oocytes were included. After warming, 1,642 oocytes survived. Median overall oocyte survival rate was 100% [interquartile range (IQR), 85-100%]. Median male age was 44±5.60 years (IQR, 31-70 years). Median recipients age was 42±3.62 years (IQR, 29-50 years). Group 1 included 166 men, group 2 112 men. Two hundred and seventy-eight fresh ICSI cycle were performed. "Two-pronuclear" (2PN) FR was 72.6%±0.20%, CR 93.0%±0.16%, PR 39.6%. Miscarriage rate was 25.5%. Live birth rate per cycles was 29.5%. Comparison between group 1, group 2 and ICSI outcomes confirmed an association with FR, resulting 80.0% (IQR, 67.0-83.0%) and 67.0% (IQR, 50.0-80.0%), respectively (P<0.01). There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to seminal parameters., Conclusions: It would be recommended more emphasis on the advancing male age when counselling older couples who undergo egg donation program., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Introduction: Medical treatment of Peyronie's disease (PD) in terms of intralesional therapy is still a matter of debate., Aim: To compare the efficacy of different classes of intralesional therapy with a network meta-analysis (NMA) method., Methods: The search was conducted using documents published in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases until September 30, 2017. We included randomized controlled trials comparing at least 1 intralesional therapy with a placebo therapy or with another drug for the treatment of PD. All intralesional therapies have been considered: collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH), hyaluronic acid, verapamil, and interferon α-2b., Main Outcome Measure: Outcomes of the study are the mean change in penile curvature (PC) and in erectile function (EF) assessed with the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire., Results: In total, 8 comparisons matched with the inclusion criteria, which includes 1,050 patients. With regard to PC (degree) improvement, hyaluronic acid and verapamil showed worse outcomes when compared with CCH (-6.66 and -2.30) and interferon α-2b (-6.75 and -2.38). When considering improvement in EF, hyaluronic acid, verapamil and interferon α-2b showed a slight increase in mean change when compared with CCH (+2.39, +1.77, and +0.65). Moreover, verapamil and interferon α-2b showed slightly worse mean change in comparison to hyaluronic acid (+0.62 and +1.74), whereas interferon α-2b was worse than verapamil (-1.12)., Clinical Implications: Based on this NMA, empirical therapy for PD should be avoided to offer the patients the best treatment in terms of level of evidence., Strengths & Limitations: In this NMA, we have provided, for the first time, evidence of the efficacy between different intralesional therapies for the treatment of PD. We were not able to compare all specific outcomes (ie, pain, plaque size, patient satisfaction) of PD, because of the lack of homogeneity across relevant studies. Moreover, because of the few included studies, a meta-regression analysis of predictive factors of treatment response was not calculated., Conclusion: This is the first meta-analysis comparing all available intralesional treatments for PD. CCH and interferon α-2b showed the best outcome in terms of PC, whereas hyaluronic acid was most efficient in relation to EF. Russo GI, Cacciamani G, Cocci A, et al. Comparative Effectiveness of Intralesional Therapy for Peyronie's Disease in Controlled Clinical Studies: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. J Sex Med 2019;16:289-299., (Copyright © 2018 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The modern clinical research on prostatitis started with the work of Stamey and coworkers who developed the basic principles we are still using. They established the segmented culture technique for localizing the infections in the males to the urethra, the bladder, or the prostate and to differentiate the main categories of prostatitis. Such categories with slight modifications are still used according to the NIH classification: acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS) and asymptomatic prostatitis. Prostatic inflammation is considered an important factor in influencing both prostatic growth and progression of symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatitis. Chronic inflammation/neuroinflammation is a result of a deregulated acute phase response of the innate immune system affecting surrounding neural tissue at molecular, structural and functional levels. Clinical observations suggest that chronic inflammation correlates with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and an history of clinical chronic prostatitis significantly increases the odds for prostate cancer. The NIHNIDDK classification based on the use of the microbiological 4- glasses localization test or simplified 2-glasses test, is currently accepted worldwide. The UPOINT system identifies groups of clinicians with homogeneous clinical presentation and is used to recognize phenotypes to be submitted to specific treatments. The UPOINTS algorithm implemented the original UPOINT adding to the urinary domains (U), psycho-social (P), organspecific (O), infection (I), neurological (N), muscle tension and tenderness (T) a further domain related to sexuality (S). In fact sexual dysfunction (erectile, ejaculatory, libido loss) has been described in 46-92% of cases with a high impact on the quality of life of patients with CP/CPPS. Prostatic ultrasound represents the most popular imaging test in the work-up of either acute and chronic prostatitis although no specific hypo-hyperechoic pattern has been clearly associated with chronic bacterial prostatitis and CPPS. Use of a digital-processing software to calculate the extension of prostatic calcification area at ultrasound demonstrated a higher percentage of prostatic calcification in patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis. Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI) is the current state-of-the art imaging modality in the assessment of patients with prostate cancer although a variety of benign conditions, including inflammation, may mimic prostate cancer and act as confounding factors in the discrimination between neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions. Bacteria can infect prostate gland by: ascending the urethra, reflux of urine into the prostatic ducts, direct inoculation of bacteria through inserted biopsy needles or hematogenous seeding. Enterobacteriaceae are the predominant pathogens in acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis, but an increasing role of Enterococci has been reported. Many strains of these uropathogens exhibit the ability to form biofilm and multidrug- resistance. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) agents, in particular Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium, have been also considered as causative pathogens of chronic bacterial prostatitis. On the contrary the effective role in genital diseases of other "genital mycoplasmas" is still a much debated issue. Sexually Transmitted Infections agents should be investigated by molecular methods in both patient and sexual partner. "Next generation" investigations, such as cytokine analysis, cytological typing of immune cells could help stratifying the immune response. Epigenetic dysregulation of inflammatory factors should be investigated according to systemic and compartment-specific signals. The search for biomarkers should also include evaluation of hormonal pathways, as measurement of estrogen levels in semen. Antimicrobials are the first line agents for the treatment of bacterial prostatitis. The success of antimicrobial treatment depends on the antibacterial activity and the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the drug which must reach high concentrations in prostate secretion and prostate tissue. Acute bacterial prostatitis can be a serious infection with a potential risk for urosepsis For iInitial treatment of severely ill patients, intravenous administration of high doses of bactericidal antimicrobials, such as broad-spectrum penicillins, third-generation cephalosporins or fluoroquinolones, is recommended in combination with an aminoglycoside. Use of piperacillin-tazobactam and meropenem is justified in presence of multiresistant gramnegative pathogens. The antibiotic treatment of chronic prostatitis is currently based on the use of fluoroquinolones that, given for 2 to 4 weeks, cured about 70% of men with chronic bacterial prostatitis. For the treatment of Chlamydial prostatitis macrolides were shown to be more effective than fluoroquinolones, whereas no differences were observed in microbiological and clinical efficacy between macrolides and tetracyclines for the treatment of infections caused by intracellular pathogens. Aminoglycosides and fosfomycin could be considered as a therapeutic alternative for the treatment of quinolone resistant prostatitis. Use of alpha-blockers in CP/CPPS patients with urinary symptoms and analgesics +/- non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), in presence of pain demonstrated a reduction of symptoms reduction and an improvement of quality of life, although long term use of NSAID is limited by side effect profile. However, the multimodal therapeutic regimen by contemporary use of alphablockers, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory showed a better control of prostatitis symptoms than single drug treatment. Novel therapeutic substances for the treatment of pain, such as the cannabinoid anandamide would be highly interesting to test. An alternative for the treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome is phytotherapy, as primary therapy or in association with other drugs. Quercetin, pollen extract, extract of Serenoa repens and other mixtures of herbal extracts showed a positive effect on symptoms and quality of life without side effects. The association of CP/CPPS with alterations of intestinal function has been described. Diet has its effects on inflammation by regulation of the composition of intestinal flora and direct action on the intestinal cells (sterile inflammation). Intestinal bacteria (microbiota) interacts with food influencing the metabolic, immune and inflammatory response of the organism. The intestinal microbiota has protective function against pathogenic bacteria, metabolic function by synthesis of vitamins, decomposition of bile acids and production of trophic factors (butyrate), and modulation of the intestinal immune system. The alteration of the microbiota is called "dysbiosis" causing invasive intestinal diseases pathologies (leaky gut syndrome and food intolerances, irritable bowel syndrome or chronic inflammatory bowel diseases) and correlating with numerous systemic diseases including acute and chronic prostatitis. Administration of live probiotics bacteria can be used to regulate the balance if intestinal flora. Sessions of hydrocolontherapy can represent an integration to this therapeutic approach. Finally, microbiological examination of sexual partners can offer supplementary information for treatment.

Glycopeptide enrichment can be a strategy to allow the detection of peptides belonging to low abundance proteins in complex matrixes such as blood serum or plasma. Though several glycopeptide enrichment protocols have shown excellent sensitivities in this respect, few reports have demonstrated the applicability of these methods to relatively large sample cohorts. In this work, a fast protocol based on TiO 2 enrichment and highly sensitive mass spectrometric analysis by Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) has been applied to a cohort of serum samples from prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia patients in order to detect low abundance proteins in a single LC-MS/MS analysis in nanoscale format, without immunodepletion or peptide fractionation. A peptide library of over 700 formerly N-glycosylated peptides was created by data dependent analysis. Then, 16 medium to low abundance proteins were selected for detection by single injection LC-MS/MS based on selected-reaction monitoring. Results demonstrated the consistent detection of the low-level proteins under investigation. Following label-free quantification, four proteins (Adipocyte plasma membrane-associated protein, Periostin, Cathepsin D and Lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 2) were found significantly increased in prostate cancer sera compared to the control group. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Context: Conservative therapies for Peyronie's disease (PD) aim to treat early-stage disease by improving clinical outcomes such as penile curvature, penile length erectile dysfunction, and pain., Objective: To summarise the available evidence regarding injection and mechanical therapies for PD treatment., Evidence Acquisition: An extensive search of Medline, Embase, and Scopus databases retrieved English-language articles up to 15 May 2018. The systematic review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42017077050). Inclusion criteria were as follows: adults with early or chronic PD receiving treatment with injection therapy, penile traction, or a vacuum device., Evidence Synthesis: Fifty-two articles were selected according to the inclusion criteria-17 comparative studies and 35 cohort studies-analysing the effects of calcium channel blockers (verapamil, nicardipine), collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH), interferon α-2b (IFNα-2b), hyaluronic acid (HA), onabotulinum toxin A, thiocolchicine, penile extender devices, and vacuum devices. Qualitative data from these studies suggest a clinically significant effect of CCH and IFNα-2b injection therapy to decrease penile curvature and conserve penile length. Verapamil and HA performed well in single-arm or case-control studies. Studies of penile traction and vacuum devices in patients with PD demonstrated some benefits in terms of curvature and penile length but only in small, underpowered, nonrandomised studies. Studies of onabotulinum toxin A injections or thiocolchicine showed significant improvements in penile curvature, but only in studies of single-arm or case-control design., Conclusions: CCH and IFNα-2b injected into stable PD plaques can decrease penile curvature; CCH can also improve penile length. However, based on available data, strong conclusions cannot be drawn for other treatments, including calcium channel blockers, HA, or mechanical therapies., Patient Summary: Our systematic review of injection therapies provides evidence for improvements in penile curvature for patients with Peyronie's disease. No robust evidence is available to support the use of other local treatments including calcium channel blockers, hyaluronic acid, or mechanical therapies., (Copyright © 2018 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this multi-institutional study was to identify predictors of residual high-grade (HG) disease at re-transurethral resection (reTUR) in a large cohort of primary T1 HG/Grade 3 (G3) bladder cancer patients. A total of 1155 patients with primary T1 HG/G3 bladder cancer from 13 academic institutions that underwent a reTUR within 6 weeks after first TUR were evaluated. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association of predictive factors with residual HG at reTUR. Residual HG cancer was found in 288 (24.9%) of patients at reTUR. Patients presenting residual HG cancer were more likely to have carcinoma in situ (CIS) at first resection (p<0.001), multiple tumors (p=0.02), and tumor size larger than 3 cm (p=0.02). Residual HG disease at reTUR was associated with increased preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocytes ratio (NLR) (p=0.006) and body mass index (BMI)>=25 kg/m 2 . On multivariable analysis, independent predictors for HG residual disease at reTUR were tumor size >3cm (OR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.02-1.84, p=0.03), concomitant CIS (OR 1.92; 95% CI: 1.32-2.78, p=0.001), being overweight (OR= 2.08; 95% CI: 1.44-3.01, p<0.001) and obesity (OR 2.48; 95% CI: 1.64-3.77, p<0.001). A reTUR in high grade T1 bladder cancer is mandatory as about 25% of patients, presents residual high grade disease. Independent predictors to identify patients at risk of residual high grade disease after a complete TUR include tumor size, presence of carcinoma in situ, and BMI >=25 kg/m 2 ., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Introduction: The effectiveness of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors over the conservative management of Peyronie's disease (PD) has been widely questioned., Aim: To determine the role of sildenafil 25 mg film formulation twice a day (S25 b.i.d.) in the improvement of curvature after treatment of collagenase of Clostridium hystoliticum (CCH) in penile curvature owing to PD., Methods: From April 2017 to April 2018, 161 consecutive patients were treated with S25 b.i.d. + CCH or CCH alone. Adjustment variables consisted of age, penile curvature, and the 15-question International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15) questionnaire at baseline using 1:1 propensity-score matching. Overall, 50 patients were considered subdivided into the following: 25 patients who received S25 b.i.d. + CCH (group A) and 25 who received CCH alone (group B). Patients received CCH injection using a shortened protocol and vacuum device in both groups., Main Outcome Measure: The primary outcome of the study was the change in penile curvature after treatment, and secondary outcomes were the change in sexual function (IIEF-15) and in the Peyronie's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ) and its subscores, PDQ-PS (psychosexual symptoms), PDQ-PP (penile pain), and PDQ-SB (symptom bother)., Results: Overall, mean penile curvature was 47.0° (SD 21.88), the mean IIEF-EF (erectile function) was 23.56 (SD 4.10), and the mean PDQ was 27.06 (SD 13.55). After the treatment, we observed a mean change for penile curvature of 25.6 (SD 9.05) in group A and -25.6 (SD 9.7) in group B (P < .01), for IIEF-EF of 2.28 (SD 2.33) in group A and 1.36 (SD 1.77) in group B (P = .03), for PDQ-PS of -3.04 (SD 2.95) in group A and of -2.12 (SD 2.06) in group B (P = .11), for PDQ-PP of -1.0 (SD 4.48) in group A and of -0.88 (SD 2.04) in group B (P = .60), for PDQ-SB of -5.84 (SD 4.58) in group A and of -4.16 (SD 4.45) in group B (P = .60), and for Female Sexual Function Index of 3.8 (SD 2.45) in group A and of 2.72 (SD 2.28) in group B (P = .14). We found a rate of global satisfaction of 70.83% in group A and of 84.0% in group B (P = .27)., Clinical Implications: Addition of S25 b.i.d. to CCH is superior to CCH alone for improving penile curvature and erectile function., Strength & Limitations: This is the first study comparing sildenafil + CCH vs CCH alone for the treatment of PD. Lack of randomization and direct verification of appropriate use of penile modeling could be considered limitations., Conclusion: In this study, combination therapy was superior in terms of penile curvature and erectile dysfunction improvement. Cocci A, Cito G, Urzì D, et al. Sildenafil 25 mg ODT + collagenase Clostridium hystoliticum vs collagenase Clostridium hystoliticum alone for the management of Peyronie's disease: A matched-pair comparison analysis. J Sex Med 2018;15:1472-1477., (Copyright © 2018 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of 64 Cu-PSMA-617 positron emission tomography (PET) with computed tomography (CT) for restaging prostate cancer after biochemical recurrence (BCR) and to compare it with 18 F-choline PET/CT in a per-patient analysis., Patients and Methods: An observational study was performed of 43 patients with BCR after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy who underwent 64 Cu-PSMA-617 PET/CT and subsequently 18 F-choline PET/CT for restaging. The detection rates (DR) of 64 Cu-PSMA-617 PET/CT and of 18 F-choline PET/CT were calculated by standardized maximum uptake value (SUV max ) at 4 hours and SUV max at 1 hour as reference, respectively. Furthermore, univariate logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify independent predictive factors of positivity with 64 Cu-PSMA-617 PET/CT., Results: An overall positivity with 64 Cu-PSMA-617 PET/CT was found in 32 patients (74.4%) versus 19 (44.2%) with 18 F-choline PET/CT. Specifically, after stratifying for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values, we found a good performance of 64 Cu-PSMA-617 PET/CT at low PSA levels compared to 18 F-choline PET/CT, with a DR of 57.1% versus 14.3% for PSA 0.2-0.5 ng/mL (P = .031), and of 60% versus 30% with PSA 0.5-1 ng/mL. At univariate binary logistic regression analysis, PSA level was the only independent predictor of 64 Cu-PSMA-617 PET/CT positivity. No significant difference in terms of DR for both 64 Cu-PSMA-617 PET/CT and 18 F-choline PET/CT was found according to different Gleason score subgroups., Conclusion: In our study cohort, a better performance was observed for 64 Cu-PSMA-617 PET/CT compared to 18 F-choline PET/CT in restaging after BCR, especially in patients with low PSA values., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To build a nomogram able to predict treatment success after collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) for Peyronie's disease (PD)., Materials and Methods: Between November 2016 and November 2017, we enrolled 135 patients with PD into a multicentre single-arm prospective study. All patients enrolled received CCH treatment. Success of therapy was defined as a decrease in penile curvature (PC) of ≥20° from baseline. Treatment satisfaction was assessed using a scale from 1 to 10, and high satisfaction was arbitrarily defined as a score of ≥8. Calcification level was classified as: absence of calcification; low perilesional calcification; and high calcification., Results: The median (interquartile range [IQR]) patient age was 56.0 (45.0-65.0) years and the median (IQR) was PC was 30 (30.0-60.0)°. After the treatment protocol, we observed a significant median change in PC of -20.0° (P < 0.01). The median (IQR) PC improvement was 44 (28.0-67.0)%. Overall median (IQR) satisfaction score was 8.0 (7.0-9.0). Treatment efficacy was reported in a total of 77 patients (57.04%). When analysing factors associated with PC improvement after treatment, we found that baseline PC (odds ratio [OR] 1.14; P < 0.01), basal plaque (OR 64.27; P < 0.01), low calcification (OR 0.06; P < 0.01) and high calcification (OR 0.03; P < 0.01) were significant predictors of PC improvement. The c-index for the model was 0.93., Conclusions: Patients with longer PD duration, greater baseline PC and basal plaque location had a greater chance of treatment success. These results could be applied to clinical practice before external validation of our nomogram., (© 2018 The Authors BJU International © 2018 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Serum levels of neutrophils, platelets, and lymphocytes have been recognized as factors related to poor prognosis for many solid tumors, including bladder cancer (BC)., Objective: To evaluate the prognostic role of the combination of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR) in patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive urothelial BC (NIMBC)., Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 1151 NMIBC patients who underwent first transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) at 13 academic institutions between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2012 were included in this analysis. The median follow-up was 48 mo., Intervention: TURBT with intravesical chemotherapy or immunotherapy., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed to identify factors predictive of recurrence, progression, cancer-specific mortality, and overall mortality. A systemic inflammatory marker (SIM) score was calculated based on cutoffs for NLR, PLR, and LMR., Results and Limitations: The 48-mo recurrence-free survival was 80.8%, 47.35%, 20.67%, and 17.06% for patients with an SIM score of 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p<0.01, log-rank test) while the corresponding 48-mo progression free-survival was 92.0%, 75.67%, 72.85%, and 63.1% (p<0.01, log-rank test). SIM scores of 1, 2, and 3 were associated with recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 3.73, 7.06, and 7.88) and progression (HR 3.15, 4.41, and 5.83). Limitations include the lack of external validation and comparison to other clinical risk models., Conclusions: Patients with high-grade T1 stage NMIBC with high SIM scores have worse oncologic outcomes in terms of recurrence and progression. Further studies should be conducted to stratify patients according to SIM scores to identify individuals who might benefit from early cystectomy., Patient Summary: In this study, we defined a risk score (the SIM score) based on the measurement of routine systemic inflammatory markers. This score can identify patients with high-grade bladder cancer not invading the muscular layer who are more likely to suffer from tumor recurrence and progression. Therefore, the score could be used to select patients who might benefit from early bladder removal., (Copyright © 2018 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Some evidences have supported the link between benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)/lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and inflammation. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association between prostatic inflammation (PI) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) evaluated by a non-invasive scores in a cohort of patients affected by BPH/LUTS. Between January 2012 and January 2016, we conducted a prospective study in a single academic outpatient clinic on 132 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). A non-invasive non-alcoholic steatohepatitis score (NASH score) was calculated, and PI was evaluated through the Irani score. Patients with a NASH score > 1.05 had an average larger prostate volume (55 vs. 45 cc, p < 0.05), a greater waist circumference (103 vs. 93.5 cm, p < 0.01), and high values of blood glucose, triglycerides, insulin, and BMI compared to patients without NASH; 36% of patients with an Irani score ≥ 4 had NASH compared to 16.1% of patients who had a NASH score < 1.05 (p < 0.05). We found that non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH ≥ 1.05) was an independent risk factor for Irani score ≥4 (OR: 3.24; p < 0.05) and of prostate volume ≥ 40 cc (OR: 13.99; p < 0.01). LUTS/BPH and NASH can be closely related, underlying common triggers of induction. In particular, inflammation seems to be associated with both conditions and with prostate gland overgrowth. Early identification of this class of patients could play a key role in preventing complications related to disease progression., (© 2018 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.)

Introduction: Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) is gaining acceptance to guide targeted biopsy (TB) in prostate cancer (PC) diagnosis. We aimed to compare the detection rate of software-assisted fusion TB (SA-TB) versus cognitive fusion TB (COG-TB) for PC and to evaluate potential clinical features in detecting PC and clinically significant PC (csPC) at TB., Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with rising and/or persistently elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) undergoing mpMRI followed by either transperineal SA-TB or transrectal COG-TB. The analysis showed a matched-paired analysis between SA-TB versus COG-TB without differences in clinical or radiological characteristics. Differences among detection of PC/csPC among groups were analyzed. A multivariable logistic regression model predicting PC at TB was fitted. The model was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic-derived area under the curve, goodness of fit test, and decision-curve analyses., Results: One hundred ninety-one and 87 patients underwent SA-TB or COG-TB, respectively. The multivariate logistic analysis showed that SA-TB was associated with overall PC (odds ratio [OR], 5.70; P < .01) and PC at TB (OR, 3.00; P < .01) but not with overall csPC (P = .40) and csPC at TB (P = .40). A nomogram predicting PC at TB was constructed using the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2.0, age, PSA density and biopsy technique, showing improved clinical risk prediction against a threshold probability of 10% with a c-index of 0.83., Conclusion: In patients with suspected PC, software-assisted biopsy detects most cancers and outperforms the cognitive approach in targeting magnetic resonance imaging-visible lesions. Furthermore, we introduced a prebiopsy nomogram for the probability of PC in TB., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare in a randomised, open-label, non-inferiority clinical study, the efficacy and tolerability of Serenoa repens (SeR) + selenium (Se) + lycopene (Ly) (SeR-Se-Ly) therapy vs tadalafil 5 mg in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)., Patients and Methods: From May 2015 to January 2017, 427 patients were enrolled in 21 different centres (International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register [ISRCTN] 73316039). Inclusion criteria included: age between 50 and 80 years, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) ≥12, maximum urinary flow rate (Q max ) ≤ 15 mL/s, and post-void residual (PVR) <100 mL. Patients were randomised into two groups in a 2:1 ratio: Group A (SeR-Se-Ly, 1 tablet daily for 6 months) and Group B (tadalafil 5 mg, 1 tablet daily for 6 months). The primary endpoint of the study was the non-inferior variation in the IPSS and Q max in Group A vs Group B after 6 months of treatment., Results: In all, 404 patients completed the full protocol. When comparing both therapies, Group A was statistically not inferior to Group B considering the median change in IPSS (-3.0 vs -3.0; P < 0.01), IPSS quality of life (-2.0 vs -2.0; P < 0.05), and Q max (2.0 vs 2.0 mL/s; P < 0.01). We found statistically significant differences in the increase of at least 3 points in Q max (38.2% vs 28.1%; P = 0.04) and of at least 30% of Q max (39.2% vs 27.3%; P < 0.01) in Group A compared to Group B. The percentage of patients with an increase of at least 3 points in the IPSS and a decrease of at least 25% of the IPSS was not statistically different between the two groups. For adverse events, four patients in Group A (1.44%) and 10 in Group B (7.81%) (P < 0.05) reported side-effects., Conclusion: We have shown that treatment with SeR-Se-Ly was not inferior to tadalafil 5 mg for improving IPSS and Q max in men with LUTS., (© 2018 The Authors BJU International © 2018 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: The aim of this study is to test the association between dietary flavonoids intake and prostate cancer (PCa) in a sample of southern Italian individuals., Design: A population-based case-control study on the association between PCa and dietary factors was conducted from January 2015 to December 2016, in a single institution., Setting: Patients with elevated PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) and/or suspicion of PCa underwent transperineal prostate biopsy (≥12 cores). A total of 118 histopathological-verified PCa cases were collected and matched with controls, which were selected from a sample of 2044 individuals randomly recruited among the same reference population. Finally, a total of 222 controls were selected., Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence of PCa., Results: Consumption of certain groups of flavonoids significantly differed between controls and cases, in particular: flavonols (63.36 vs 37.14 mg/d, P < 0.001), flavanols (107.61 vs. 74.24 mg/d, P = .016), flavanones (40.92 vs. 81.32 mg/d, P < 0.001), catechins (63.36 vs. 36.18 mg/d, P = .006). In the multivariate model, flavanols and flavones were associated with reduced risk of PCa, despite not in the highest quartile of intake. Higher flavonol and catechin intake was consistently associated with reduced risk of PCa (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.06-0.56 and OR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.04-0.36). In contrast, the highest intake of flavanones was positively associated with PCa., Conclusion: Flavonols and catechins have proved to be the most promising molecules for a potential protective role against PCa. Nevertheless, further research on flavanones is needed to better establish whether they are associated with PCa., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the presence of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) at different stages of prostate cancer using the AdnaTest ® ProstateCancerDetect kit (Qiagen). Moreover, we aimed to assess the expression of transcripts that are specific for cancer stem cells (AdnaTest StemCell) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in CTCs (AdnaTest EMT), as well as additional genes that are known to promote prostate cancer progression., Patients and Methods: In this prospective study, we included 81 patients who underwent treatment for prostate cancer between 07/2014 and 02/2015, including: Group A, 18 patients (22.2%) with low-risk clinically localised prostate cancer; Group B, 25 patients (30.9%) with high-risk clinically localised prostate cancer; Group C, 11 patients (13.6%) with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC); and Group D, 27 patients (33.3%) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). AdnaTest ProstateCancer and AdnaTest StemCell/EMT were performed in all cases. In addition, expression of the androgen receptor (AR), c-met, c-kit and thymidylate synthase (TYMS) in CTCs was assessed using specific polymerase chain reaction assays., Results: A positive AdnaTest ProstateCancer was present in three (16.7%), two (8.0%), six (54.5%) and 19 (70.5%) patients in groups A, B, C and D, respectively (P < 0.01, chi-squared test). The AdnaTest EMT and AdnaTest StemCell were positive in zero (0.0%), zero (0.0%), one (9.1%), and two (7.4%); and in five (27.8%), four (16.0%), three (27.3%), and 11 (40.7%) patients in groups A, B, C and D, respectively, with no significant differences noted between groups. CTCs expressing TYMS (44.4% and 50.0% vs 13.9%) or AR (18.2% and 25.9% vs 0.0%) were seen more commonly in patients in groups C and D vs patients with non-metastatic disease (all P < 0.05). Expression of c-kit and c-met were rare events, with only two patients positive for either marker., Conclusions: AdnaTest ProstateCancerDetect exhibits positive results mainly in patients with metastatic disease. Expression of AR and TYMS are frequent events in CTCs of patients with advanced disease, whereas c-met and c-kit gene expression is seen in only a small proportion of patients. The implications of these results for the use of CTC analysis as a decision factor for personalised treatment strategies in advanced prostate cancer remain to be determined., (© 2018 The Authors BJU International © 2018 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH; Xiapex) injections represent the only licensed medical treatment for Peyronie's disease (PD)., Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of CCH injections in men with stable PD, using a modified treatment protocol and to assess partners' bother improvement in a large cohort of White-European sexually active heterosexual men treated in a single tertiary-referral center., Methods: All the 135 patients enrolled underwent a thorough assessment, which included history taking, physical examination, and pharmacologically induced artificial erection test (intra-cavernous injection) to assess the degree of penile curvature (PC) at baseline and after the completion of the treatment. Patients with calcified plaque and/or ventral curvature were excluded. All patients underwent a modified treatment protocol, which consisted of 3 intra-lesional injections of 0.9 mg of CCH performed at 4-week intervals at the point of maximum curvature. After each injection, patients were instructed to follow a strict routine involving daily penile stretching in the intervals between injections., Outcomes: International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-15, Global Assessment of PD, PD questionnaires (PDQ), and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire were performed at baseline and at the end of treatment., Results: Overall, 135 patients completed the study protocol. Before treatment, 18 (13.33%) partners showed a degree of sexual dysfunction. Baseline median IIEF-15, FSFI, and PDQ scores were, respectively, 59.0, 35.0, and 23.0. Overall, both IIEF-total and all domains significantly improved after treatment (all P < .01). A PC mean change of 19.07 (P = .00) was measured. At the univariate linear regression analysis, IIEF-15, IIEF-erectile function, IIEF-sexual desire, and IIEF-intercourse satisfaction were positively associated with FSFI (all P ≤ .03); conversely, PDQ-penile pain, PDQ-symptom bother, and post-treament penile curvature (P ≤ .04) were associated with a decreased FSFI score. Furthermore, median change of PC was significantly associated with median change of FSFI (r = 0.25; 95% CI 0.02-0.11; P = .004). Global satisfaction after treatment was 89.6% (121/135)., Clinical Translation: This modified CCH treatment protocol could improve both patients' and partner's sexual function., Strength and Limitations: This was an open-label, single-arm clinical study, without placebo. where only heterosexual couples in stable relationships were included. Furthermore, no real assessment of female sexual distress was carried out and long-term sexual function in both patients and female partners were not taken into account., Conclusions: The modified treatment schedule with CCH injections for stable PD has a positive impact on both patients' and partners' sexual function in heterosexual couples with a stable sexual relationship. Cocci A, Russo GI, Salonia A, et al. Predictive Factors of Patients' and Their Partners' Sexual Function Improvement After Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum Injection for Peyronie's Disease: Results From a Multi-Center Single-Arm Study. J Sex Med 2018;15:716-721., (Copyright © 2018 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the detection rate among three different targeted biopsy approaches of robot-assisted MRI/TRUS fusion (RA-TB), mpMRI in-bore (MRGB), cognitive fusion guidance biopsy (COG-TB) for the detection of prostate cancer (PC) and clinically significant PC (csPC)., Methods: Between 2014 and 2016, 156 patients with a lesion on mpMRI, performed in accordance with ESUR guidelines, due to cancer suspicion or on-going cancer suspicion after prior negative prostate biopsy, underwent targeted biopsy with RA-TB, MRGB or COG-TB. All lesions were rated according to PI-RADS v2. We compared detection rates between techniques. Models were constructed to predict the detection of overall PC and csPC and using a 1000 boot-strap sample., Results: In the all cohort, 73, 45 and 38 patients underwent RA-TB, MRGB or COG-TB, respectively. Overall PC was found in 39 (52.42%), 23 (51.11%) and 11 (28.95%) (p = 0.04) patients of RA-TB, MRGB and COG-TB arm, respectively. As concerning the detection of csPC, it was found in 26 (35.62%),18 (40.0%) and 9 (23.68%) patients of RA-TB, MRGB and COG-TB arm (p = 0.27). Model 1 showed that RA-TB [OR: 10.08 (95% CI 1.95-51.97); p < 0.01] and MRGB [OR: 12.88 (95% CI 2.36-70.25); p < 0.01] were associated with overall PC detection in TB, while only MRGB was associated with csPC at TB (model 2) [OR: 5.72; (95% CI 1.40-23.35); p < 0.01]. The c-index for model 1 and model 2 was 0.86 and 0.85, respectively. We did not report significant complications between groups., Conclusion: In-bore biopsy and MRI/TRUS fusion-guided biopsy showed greater accuracy in detecting PC compared to cognitive fusion as modeled in a newly established normogram.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of transperineal robot-assisted (RA) targeted (TB) and systematic (SB) prostate biopsy in primary and repeat biopsy settings., Patients and Methods: Patients underwent RA biopsy between 2014 and 2016. Before RA-TB, multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) was performed. Prostate lesions were scored (Prostate Imaging, Reporting and Data System, version 2) and used for RA-TB planning. In addition, RA-SB was performed. Available, whole-gland pathology was analysed., Results: In all, 130 patients were biopsy naive and 72 had had a previous negative transrectal ultrasonography-guided biopsy. In total, 202 patients had suspicious mpMRI lesions. Clinically significant prostate cancer was found in 85% of all prostate cancer cases (n = 123). Total and clinically significant prostate cancer detection rates for RA-TB vs RA-SB were not significantly different at 77% vs 84% and 80% vs 82%, respectively. RA-TB demonstrated a better sampling performance compared to RA-SB (26.4% vs 13.9%; P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Transperineal RA-TB and -SB showed similar clinically significant prostate cancer detection rates in primary and repeat biopsy settings. However, RA-TB offered a 50% reduction in biopsy cores. Omitting RA-SB is associated with a significant risk of missing clinically significant prostate cancer., (© 2017 The Authors BJU International © 2017 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To investigate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and morphological features of benign prostatic enlargement (BPE), including total prostate volume (TPV), transitional zone volume (TZV) and intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP)., Patients and Methods: Between January 2015 and January 2017, 224 consecutive men aged >50 years presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of BPE were recruited to this multicentre cross-sectional study. MetS was defined according to International Diabetes Federation criteria. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were performed to verify factors associated with IPP, TZV and TPV., Results: Patients with MetS were observed to have a significant increase in IPP (P < 0.01), TPV (P < 0.01) and TZV (P = 0.02). On linear regression analysis, adjusted for age and metabolic factors of MetS, we found that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was negatively associated with IPP (r = -0.17), TPV (r = -0.19) and TZV (r = -0.17), while hypertension was positively associated with IPP (r = 0.16), TPV (r = 0.19) and TZV (r = 0.16). On multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and factors of MetS, hypertension (categorical; odds ratio [OR] 2.95), HDL cholesterol (OR 0.94) and triglycerides (OR 1.01) were independent predictors of TPV ≥ 40 mL. We also found that HDL cholesterol (OR 0.86), hypertension (OR 2.0) and waist circumference (OR 1.09) were significantly associated with TZV ≥ 20 mL. On age-adjusted logistic regression analysis, MetS was significantly associated with IPP ≥ 10 mm (OR 34.0; P < 0.01), TZV ≥ 20 mL (OR 4.40; P < 0.01) and TPV ≥ 40 mL (OR 5.89; P = 0.03)., Conclusion: We found an association between MetS and BPE, demonstrating a relationship with IPP., (© 2017 The Authors BJU International © 2017 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction and Objectives: To evaluate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and proliferative inflammatory atrophy (PIA) in patients with suspected prostate cancer (PCa)., Patients and Methods: From June 2015 to July 2016, we conducted the FIERY (Flogosis Increased Events of pRostatic biopsY) study at the Urology section, Department of Surgery of the University of Catania (Local registration number: #131/2015). A total of 205 patients with elevated prostate-specific antigen (≥ 4 ng/ml) or clinical suspicion of PCa who underwent primary transperineal prostate biopsy were included in this cross-sectional study. The assessment of PIA, HGPIN, and PCa were performed by 2 experienced pathologists and samples were investigated for the presence of an inflammatory infiltrate, according to the Irani score. Primary and secondary Gleason grade of tumor in positive biopsies were evaluated according to the 2016 ISUP Modified Gleason System., Results: In the entire cohort, median age was 68.0 (interquartile range: 62.0-74.5), median prostate-specific antigen was 6.5 (interquartile range: 5.51-9.57). The prevalence of MetS was 34.1%, the detection rate of PCa was 32.7%, the rate of PIA was 28.3%, the rate of HGPIN was 32.2%, whereas the rate of severe intraprostatic inflammation (Irani-score ≥4) was 28.8%. When comparing clinical and histological variables in patients without and with PIA, metabolic aberrations where not significantly different in both groups. We did not find statistical association in detection rate of PCa (29.3% vs. 34.0%; P = 0.07) and HGPIN (27.6% vs. 34.0%; P = 0.37) in patients with and without PIA, respectively. When considering metabolic aberrations, MetS was not associated with Irani-score ≥4 (28.6% vs. 28.4%; P = 0.96) and none of each component was statistically predictive of severe inflammation. At the multivariable logistic regression analysis, PIA, HGPIN, and MetS were not associated with greater risk of PCa., Conclusion: In this study, we did not show an association between MetS and PIA and PCa. Although the small sample size and the cross-sectional nature of the study, we do not suppose that MetS could be associated with greater evidence of PIA. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the exact nature of this pathological lesion., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Numerous surveys have been performed to determine the competence and the confidence of residents. However, there is no data available on the condition of Italian residents in urology., Objective: To investigate the status of training among Italian residents in urology regarding scientific activity and surgical exposure., Design, Setting, and Participants: A web-based survey that included 445 residents from all of the 25 Italian Residency Programmes was conducted between September 2015 and November 2015., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: The main outcomes were represented by scientific activity, involvement in surgical procedures, and overall satisfaction., Results and Limitations: In total, 324 out of 445 (72.8%) residents completed the survey. Overall, 104 (32%) residents had not published any scientific manuscripts, 148 (46%) published ≤5, 38 (12%) ≤10, 26 (8%) ≤15, four (1%) ≤20, and four (1%) >20 manuscripts, respectively. We did not observe any differences when residents were stratified by sex (p=0.5). Stent positioning (45.7%), extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (30.9%), transurethral resection of bladder tumor (33.0%), hydrocelectomy (24.7%), varicocelectomy (17%), ureterolithotripsy (14.5%), and orchiectomy (12.3%) were the surgical procedures more frequently performed by residents. Overall, 272 residents (84%) expressed a good satisfaction for urology specialty, while 178 (54.9%) expressed a good satisfaction for their own residency programme. We observed a statistically decreased trend for good satisfaction for urology specialty according to the postgraduate year (p=0.02)., Conclusions: Italian Urology Residency Programmes feature some heavy limitations regarding scientific activity and surgical exposure. Nonetheless, satisfaction rate for urology specialty remains high. Further improvements in Residency Programmes should be made in order to align our schools to others that are actually more challenging., Patient Summary: In this web-based survey, Italian residents in urology showed limited scientific productivity and low involvement in surgical procedures. Satisfaction for urology specialty remains high, demonstrating continuous interest in this field of study from residents., (Copyright © 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: In this study we aimed to investigate the association between dietary phytoestrogen consumption and prostate cancer in a sample of southern Italian individuals., Methods: A population-based case-control study on the association between prostate cancer and dietary factors was conducted from January 2015 to December 2016 in a single institution of the municipality of Catania, southern Italy (Registration number: 41/2015). A total of 118 histopathological-verified prostate cancer (PCa) cases and a total of 222 controls were collected. Dietary data was collected by using two food frequency questionnaires., Results: Patients with PCa consumed significantly higher levels of phytoestrogens. Multivariate logistic regression showed that lignans (Q[quartile]4 vs. Q1, OR [odds ratio] = 4.72; p < .05) and specifically, lariciresinol (Q4 vs. Q1, OR = 4.60; p < .05), pinoresinol (Q4 vs. Q1, OR = 5.62; p < .05), matairesinol (Q4 vs. Q1, OR = 3.63; p < .05), secoisolariciresinol (Q4 vs. Q1, OR = 4.10; p < .05) were associated with increased risk of PCa. Furthermore, we found that isoflavones (Q3 vs. Q1, OR = 0.28; p < .05) and specifically, genistein (Q4 vs. Q1, OR = 0.40; p < .05) were associated with reduced risk of PCa., Conclusion: We found of an inverse association between dietary isoflavone intake and PCa, while a positive association was found with lignans intake.

A systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mirabegron 50 mg and 100 mg in the treatment of storage lower urinary tract symptoms/overactive bladder in comparison with a placebo and tolterodine 4 mg. A total of 491 articles were collected and eight randomized studies were identified as eligible for this meta-analysis. Overall, eight trials were included in the meta-analysis evaluating 10 248 patients. Mirabegron at both doses of 50 mg and 100 mg, and and tolterodine 4 mg were significantly associated with the reduction of incontinence episodes per 24 h, reduction of mean number of micturitions per 24 h, increase of voided volume and reduction of urgency episodes per 24 h, compared to a placebo. Both mirabegron 50 mg and mirabegron 100 mg were associated with a significant reduction of nocturia episodes when compared with a placebo. Conversely, tolterodine 4 mg did not prove to be more effective than a placebo in the reduction of nocturia episodes. Furthermore, mirabegron 50 mg showed a slightly, but significantly, better efficacy than tolterodine 4 mg in the improvement of nocturia episodes. Mirabegron 50 mg and mirabegron 100 mg shared the same risk of overall treatment-emergent adverse events rate with the placebo. Otherwise, tolterodine 4 mg was associated with a significantly greater risk than the placebo. However, mirabegron 100 mg showed a slight trend toward an increased risk of hypertension (odds ratio 1.41; P = 0.08) and cardiac arrhythmia (odds ratio 2.18; P = 0.06). Mirabegron is an effective treatment for patients with storage lower urinary tract symptoms/overactive bladder, providing a reduction of incontinence, urgency and frequency; an improvement of voided volume with a slight, but statistically, significant improvement of nocturia; with a good safety profile. These findings should be considered for the treatment planning of patients with storage lower urinary tract symptoms/overactive bladder., (© 2017 The Japanese Urological Association.)

Introduction: Recent evidences demonstrated that male factor alone is responsible for about 30% cases of infertility. Human follicle-stimulating hormone (hFSH) has been introduced to increase sperm concentration, spermatogonial population, or both natural or assisted pregnancy rates (PRs) in oligozoospermic subjects with normal concentrations of gonadotropins., Methods: Fifty infertile men affected by idiopathic azoospermia were enrolled in this study, after undergoing medical history, physical and clinical examination, baseline semen parameters and hormonal plasma concentrations. Inclusion criteria were infertility for at least 2 years, idiopathic azoospermia, FSH <12 mIU/ml. Twenty-five patients were allocated to treatment with hFSH three times/week per 3 months (Fostimon), and 25 patients underwent just testicular sperm extraction (TESE) without medical treatment. All patients underwent, after 3 months, assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs) with TESE. The primary outcome was represented by the differences in the sperm retrieval rate (SRR) between groups, while the secondary outcomes were the differences in PR and fertilization rate (FR)., Results: We observed a PR of 15% (3/25) and 28% (7/25) in control and treated group, respectively. SRR after medical treatment and ART was 24% (6/25), while in the control group was 12.5% (2/25). The sperm in the ejaculate of five patients (20%) after medical treatment exhibited a mean concentration of 0.9 million/ml and a mean motility of 12%. The FR was significantly greater in the treatment group with respect to the control group, 30% and 20%, respectively., Conclusions: FSH treatment showed greater efficacy rather than control by increasing the rate of PR and FR in azoospermic patients who underwent TESE.

Background: Active Surveillance (AS) is a therapeutic strategy for early-stage Prostate Cancer (PCa) conceived to balance early detection of aggressive disease and overtreatment of indolent tumor. Several active surveillance protocols have been published over the years, however the risk of misclassification still exist. In this review, we revised the current criteria of AS and evaluated the characteristics of potential risk factors of misclassification or deferred treatment., Methods: We did a systematic search of the MEDLINE database, from 1993 to May 2015, according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis statement guidelines and limited to the English language. The search terms used included "prostate cancer" and "active surveillance" and "criteria. We have excluded from the study reviews and editorial comments as well as multiple papers from the same data sets., Results: Although the follow-up of reported studies was a quite short compared to the duration of the disease, the data are sufficient to conclude that active surveillance should be offered to men with low-risk disease and to men with intermediate risk and poor life expectancy. The present challenge, in fact, is to differentiate the clinically silent disease from the unfavorable course by identifying the right timing for any deferred treatment. This is made particularly difficult by the absence of randomized controlled trials directly comparing different AS monitoring methods., Conclusion: As summarized in this review, it is still difficult to select patients eligible for active surveillance and differentiate them from those that should move to active treatment. From the data, currently available in the literature, however, it is possible to recommend active surveillance to men with low-risk disease and to men with intermediate-risk disease but with short life expectancy., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Introduction: The aim of this multicenter study was to investigate the prognostic impact of residual T1 high-grade (HG)/G3 tumors at re-transurethral resection (TUR of bladder tumor) in a large multi-institutional cohort of patients with primary T1 HG/G3 bladder cancer (BC)., Patients and Methods: The study period was from January 2002 to -December 2012. A total of 1,046 patients with primary T1 HG/G3 and who had non-muscle invasive BC (NMIBC) on re-TUR followed by adjuvant intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy with maintenance were included. Endpoints were time to disease recurrence, progression, and overall and cancer-specific death., Results: A total of 257 (24.6%) patients had residual T1 HG/G3 tumors. The presence of concomitant carcinoma in situ, multiple and large tumors (> 3 cm) at first TUR were associated with residual T1 HG/G3. Five-year recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were 17% (CI 11.8-23); 58.2% (CI 50.7-65); 73.7% (CI 66.3-79.7); and 84.5% (CI 77.8-89.3), respectively, in patients with residual T1 HG/G3, compared to 36.7% (CI 32.8-40.6); 71.4% (CI 67.3-75.2); 89.8% (CI 86.6-92.3); and 95.7% (CI 93.4-97.3), respectively, in patients with NMIBC other than T1 HG/G3 or T0 tumors. Residual T1 HG/G3 was independently associated with RFS, PFS, OS, and CSS in multivariable analyses., Conclusions: Residual T1 HG/G3 tumor at re-TUR confers worse prognosis in patients with primary T1 HG/G3 treated with maintenance BCG. Patients with residual T1 HG/G3 for primary T1 HG/G3 are very likely to fail BCG therapy alone., (© 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objective: Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI) has become a very useful tool in the management of PCa. Particularly, there is a great interest in using mpMRI for men on Active Surveillance (AS) for low risk PCa. The aim of this systematic review was to critically review the latest literature concerning the role of mpMRI in this clinical setting, underlying current strengths and weakness., Evidence Acquisition: A comprehensive literature research for English-language original and review articles was carried out using the National Center for Biotechnology Information PubMed database with the aim to identify studies pertaining to mpMRI for AS in low risk PCa patients. The following search terms were used: active surveillance, prostate cancer and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging., Evidence Synthesis: Data from 28 recent original studies and reviews were reviewed. We only considered studies on the use of mpMRI in selecting AS patients and during AS follow-up, in order to solve two important questions: -Can mpMRI have a role in improving the detection of clinically significant disease, better selecting AS patients? -Can mpMRI identify the progression of disease and, consequently, be used during AS follow-up?, Conclusions: mpMRI is useful to better select the ideal candidates to AS and to monitor them during follow-up. However, despite many advantages, there are yet important limitations to detect all clinically significant PCa and to better define mpMRI-radiological progression during AS. Further larger prospective studies are needed to definitively solve these important problems., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Dietary polyphenols gained the interest of the scientific community due to their wide content in a variety of plant-derived foods and beverages commonly consumed, such as fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, and cocoa . We aimed to investigate whether there was an association between dietary phenolic acid consumption and prostate cancer (PCa) in South Italy. We conducted a population-based case-control study from January 2015 to December 2016 in a single institution of the municipality of Catania, southern Italy (Registration number: 41/2015). Patients with elevated PSA and/or suspicious PCa underwent transperineal prostate biopsy. A total of 118 histopathological-verified PCa cases were collected and a total of 222 controls were selected from a sample of 2044 individuals. Dietary data were collected by using two food frequency questionnaires and data on the phenolic acids content in foods was obtained from the Phenol-Explorer database (www.phenol-explorer.eu). Association between dietary intake of phenolic acids and PCa was calculated through logistic regression analysis. We found lower levels of caffeic acid (2.28 mg/day vs. 2.76 mg/day; p < 0.05) and ferulic acid (2.80 mg/day vs. 4.04 mg/day; p < 0.01) in PCa when compared to controls. The multivariate logistic regression showed that both caffeic acid (OR = 0.32; p < 0.05) and ferulic acid (OR = 0.30; p < 0.05) were associated with reduced risk of PCa. Higher intake of hydroxybenzoic acids and caffeic acids were associated with lower risk of advanced PCa. High intake of caffeic acid and ferulic acid may be associated with reduced risk of PCa., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of preoperative patient characteristics and flow rate on failure, early postoperative complications, and voiding in patients who underwent transvaginal tension-free vaginal tape-obturator (TVT-O) treatment for uncomplicated stress urinary incontinence (SUI)., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent TVT-O for SUI at 3 Italian centres. The exclusion criteria were predominant voiding and storage symptoms suggestive of detrusor overactivity, the presence of grade >1 urogenital prolapse, previous pelvic radiotherapy or other clinical contraindications for surgical procedures, neurogenic bladder dysfunction, and collagen diseases. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to identify predictors of early voiding dysfunction after TVT-O., Results: A total of 219 patients underwent TVT-O between January 2010 and December 2015. All patients received follow-up at 3, 6, and 12 months, and underwent a stress test, uroflowmetry, and bladder ultrasound to evaluate the postvoid residual volume. They also responded to the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) questionnaire. The rates of persistent incontinence after TVT-O, postoperative complications, and satisfaction were 16.4% (36 of 219), 24.2% (53 of 219), and 86.3% (189 of 219), respectively. Nineteen patients (9.5%) experienced early voiding dysfunction. Based on an analysis of baseline characteristics, we determined that a cutoff value of 9.0 on the UDI-6 predicted postoperative SUI with 62% specificity, 72% sensitivity, and 66% accuracy. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, a preoperative UDI-6≥9.0 was an independent predictor of postoperative SUI. The predictors of complications were menopause (P = 0.04) and the preoperative UDI-6 score (P = 0.01)., Conclusions: Menopause and UDI-6 scores could be prognostic factors for persistent SUI after TVT-O. Well-designed prospective studies with a suitable number of patients are needed to corroborate our findings.

Background: A new oro-dispersible film (ODF) formulation of sildenafil has been developed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) to overcome the drawbacks that some patients experience when taking the conventional film-coated tablet (FCT)., Aim: To assess the effectiveness and safety of sildenafil ODF formulation in patients with ED who were using the conventional FCT., Methods: From May 2017 through July 2017, 139 patients with ED were enrolled. Data from penile color-duplex ultrasound, medical history, hormonal evaluation, and patient self-administered questionnaires were collected. All patients were administered sildenafil 100-mg FCT for 4 weeks. Thereafter, they underwent a 2-week washout period and subsequently took sildenafil 75-mg ODF for 4 weeks., Outcomes: The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Patient Global Impressions of Improvement (PGI-I), and Clinician Global Impressions of Improvement (CGI-I) questionnaires were administered and severity of ED was classified as severe (IIEF-15 score ≤ 10), moderate (IIEF-15 score 11-16), or mild (IIEF-15 score = 17-25)., Results: All patients completed the final protocol. Differences in mean IIEF scores for erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, and intercourse satisfaction were significantly in favor of sildenafil 100-mg FCT, whereas the mean score for overall satisfaction was in favor of sildenafil 75-mg ODF. A significant difference in changes in HADS score was found from washout to final follow-up (mean difference = -0.19; P < .01). For the ODF formulation, the median CGI-I score was 3.5 (interquartile range [IQR] = 2.5-4.5) and the median PGI-I score was 3.0 (IQR = 2.0-4.0). The median action time was 20.0 minutes (IQR = 15.0-30.0) and the median mouth time was 60.0 seconds (IQR = 30.0-120.0)., Clinical Implications: The ODF formulation of a widely known drug, with the same safety and effectiveness of the FCT, was better appreciated by patients in overall satisfaction., Strengths and Limitations: This is the first clinical trial to assess the efficacy of a new formulation of sildenafil in patients with ED. The limitations of the study are related to the methodology used: it was not a case-control study and the patients were not drug-naïve for ED treatment. Therefore, only the "additional" side effects of the ODF formulation compared with FCT are reported., Conclusion: The new ODF formulation is as efficient and safe as the FCT formulation and offers a new choice of treatment to specialists for more precisely tailored therapy. Cocci A, Capece M, Cito G, et al. Effectiveness and Safety of Oro-Dispersible Sildenafil in a New Film Formulation for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: Comparison Between Sildenafil 100-mg Film-Coated Tablet and 75-mg Oro-Dispersible Film. J Sex Med 2017;14:1606-1611., (Copyright © 2017 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Prostatitis is a very common urogenital disease of the male with prevalence ranging from 2.2 to 9.7% worldwide. Interestingly, some recent evidences have showed a significant association between chronic prostatitis (CP) and male infertility including a detrimental effect on sperm parameters, reduction of zinc concentration on semen sperm and production of anti-semen antibodies (ASAs). The aim of the current meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between CP and alteration of semen parameters., Methods: This analysis was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines and we included in the final analysis 27 studies, with a total of 3241 participants, including 381 (11.75%) with chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP), 1670 (51.53%) with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) and 1190 (36.72%) controls., Results: CBP was associated with reduction of sperm concentration, sperm vitality, sperm total and progressive motility, while CP/CPPS was related to the reduction of semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm progressive motility and sperm normal morphology. We found that CP was significantly associated with reduced zinc concentration on seminal plasma (SMD: -20.73; p = 0.005). Finally, CP statistically increased the risk of developing ASA on seminal plasma (OR 3.26; p < 0.01)., Conclusion: In conclusion, chronic prostatitis showed a detrimental effect on sperm and both CPB or CP/CPPS may differently show negative impact on sperm.