Volume 6 Issue 1, January 2009

The issue of neonatal circumcision is highly controversial. In this Viewpoint, Austin discusses why he considers neonatal circumcision to be beneficial. He assesses the evidence for a protective effect of circumcision from genital cancer, urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted infections, and also the evidence for minimal adverse events associated with circumcision in neonates.

This Review by Moore and colleagues discusses the potential role for photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of organ-confined prostate cancer. The authors discuss the assessment of outcomes during and after PDT, the results of clinical studies, possible PDT modifications for future development, and the current limitations of this treatment.

HIV is a retrovirus that is spread through contact with blood, semen and vaginal secretions. Urological disorders are usually the first clinical signs that indicate HIV infection. In this Review, Heyns and colleagues assess the main urological symptoms and complications of HIV and AIDS.

Antagonists of [alpha]₁-adrenoceptors are used to alleviate symptoms in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In this Review, Kojima and colleagues discuss structural and functional variation in [alpha]₁-adrenoceptors, and the implications this variation might have for individualized management of patients with BPH in the future.

This Case Study describes a 56-year-old man who initially presented to his urologist with lower urinary tract symptoms. Four years later, a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) was diagnosed after prostate biopsy. This article discusses the role of immunohistochemistry for diagnosing GIST, and the pharmacologic and surgical management of this unusual prostatic tumor.