Volume 2 Issue 12, December 2005

For patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, pharmacologic treatment has emerged as an attractive alternative to surgical intervention; however, there are unresolved questions regarding nonsurgical approaches. The author reviews the evidence to address one such question: whether a combination of two drugs provides greater symptomatic relief than standard monotherapy.

Over the years, the International Continence Society (ICS) has produced a series of standardization reports concerning the terminology of lower urinary tract function. In this Viewpoint, the authors highlight the advantages of using standardized ICS terminology in both clinical and scientific practice.

The process of angiogenesis is central to the development and spread of cancer. Modern imaging techniques are increasingly offering ways in which the markers of angiogenesis can be visualized. This article discusses the different imaging methods that can be used to assess angiogenesis in the prostate gland.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists are commonly used to treat men with prostate cancer. The hypogonadal state induced by GnRH agonists can lead to increased bone loss and, ultimately, osteoporosis in many men. This review outlines the mechanisms involved in bone loss associated with GnRH agonists and discusses the different measures that can be utilized in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis in this group of patients.

In order to understand the mechanisms behind abnormal gonadal development it is important to understand the process of normal development. In this review, the normal development of the gonad in mammals, and the molecular pathways and candidate genes that have been implicated in abnormal gonadal development, are discussed.