Men's Health/Andrology Topic Homepage
Men's Health/Andrology Overview
Andrology and urology are specialties that involve the study, diagnosis and treatment of male reproductive system and urinary tract dysfunction.
The male reproductive system consists of; the scrotum containing the testes, the epididymis and vas deferens connecting the testes to the prostate, the prostate itself, and the urethra connecting the prostate to the final component, the penis.1
Common non-cancerous...
... disorders of the penis, testes and prostate include; penile inflammation, urethral stricture, penile growths, priapism, Peyronie's disease, testicular torsion, inguinal hernia, epididymitis, hydrocele, varicocele, testicular swelling and benign prostatic hyperplasia.2
Infertility affects approximately 25% of European couples, and male infertility is a factor in 50% of these cases.3 The most common demonstrable cause of male infertility is varicocele (increased scrotal temperature), followed by urogenital infections and immunological factors.3
Prostate and testicular cancers account for 24%4 and 1-2%5 of all newly diagnosed male cancers in the UK respectively. Testicular cancer is most commonly diagnosed in white Caucasian men aged between 20 and 49 years. Worldwide the highest age-standardised incidence rates are found in Western and Northern Europe, specifically Denmark, Germany and Solvenia.5 Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in European men behind lung cancer, with 301,500 new cases diagnosed in 25 EU member states in 2006.4
1. Snell R.S. Clinical Anatomy by Regions. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins. 2007 : 352-355
2. Beers M.H. et al. The Merck manual of medical information. Merck research laboratories. Second home edition. 2003 : 1321-1340.
3. Dohle G.R. et al. EAU Guidelines on Male Infertility. European Urology. November 2005 ; 48 (5) : 703-711
4. Cancer Research UK. Prostate Cancer – UK. Cancer Stats. March 2007 : 1-10
5. Cancer Research UK. Testicular Cancer – UK. Cancer Stats. March 2007 : 1-8
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Men's Health
As a disease topic Men's Health covers a broad set of issues affecting men of all ages. Some of the issues requiring greater focus and more thorough dissemination of information amongst the healthcare community, are those that have the potential to go undetected in the early stages. Diseases where early detection and more regular health checks not only improve prognosis and efficacy of treatment outcomes, but also quality of life.
These include:
Erectile dysfunction is characterized by the regular or repeated inability to obtain or maintain an erection. Although not considered a part of the aging process, it is associated with certain physiologic and psychological changes related to age. ED is most common in men between 40-70 years of age. However incidence is also higher amongst men with certain medical conditions which include, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. ED can also be a warning sign/symptom of these underlying conditions. 1
Hypogonadism (low testosterone)
Testosterone is an essential male hormone produced in the testes that plays a crucial role in the health and well being of male bodies. It is responsible for typical male sexual characteristics and is required by all men for a healthy life physically and psychologically.
Low testosterone, clinically known as hypogonadism, consists of decreased functional activity of the testes with diminished production and action of testosterone. Although there is a progressive decline in testosterone levels as men age, hypogonadism can occur in men of any age.
Men with low testosterone are also at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis.
For your information, the Mens Health knowledge centre concentrates on the understanding, management and treatment of erectile dysfunction and hypogonadism. The website also provides extensive details on up-coming conferences as well as an extensive library of useful resource. You can also access the knowledge centre via www.menshealthfocus.com.
Enter the Men's Health Knowledge Centre
References
1. McVary, Kevin T. Erectile. In: Kasper DL, Braunwald E, Fauci AS, Hauser SL, Longo DL, Jameson JL et al., editors. Harrison's Internal Medicine. 16th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2005. p. 272-274
Prostate Cancer
The Prostate Cancer Knowledge Centre is an interactive resource which provides healthcare professionals with the latest information in the field of prostate cancer.
Globally, at least 913,000 people are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, accounting for 13.8% of new cancer cases in men. Of these approximately 385,500 new cases were identified in 2008 in Europe alone, making prostate cancer a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Europe.1
The diagnosis rate of prostate cancer is higher in the developed world following the increased usage of PSA screening,1 resulting in the diagnosis of many asymptomatic tumours. This is combined with other detection methods for a diagnosis to be achieved.
Age, family history and ethnicity are all well established risk factors of prostate cancer.2 However many risk factors usually associated with the development of other types of cancer, such as smoking, alcohol and a sedentary lifestyle, are not thought to be associated with prostate cancer.3
Following screening the majority of men are diagnosed with a low gleason-grade, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer,2 which is managed through watchful waiting and active surveillance. This is later treated with radiotherapy, radical prostatectomy and hormonal therapies. Disease progression will lead to patients being diagnosed with castrate-resistant prostate cancer. These patients will require chemotherapy treatment according to the current guidelines.2
The Prostate Cancer Knowledge Centre brings together current and detailed information relating to:
- Epidemiology
- Disease classification
- Methods of detection
- Hormone-sensitive prostate cancer
- Castration-resistant prostate cancer
- Treatment and management guidelines
References
- Ferlay J, Shin H-R, Bray F, Forman D, Mathers C, Parkin DM. Estimates of worldwide burden of cancer in 2008: GLOBOCAN 2008. Int J Cancer 2010;127(12):2893–2917.
- European Association of Urology. Guidelines on prostate cancer, 2012.
- Grönberg H. Prostate cancer epidemiology. Lancet 2003;361:859-64.
Developed by EPG Online in partnership with, and financial support from, Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd
Date of preparation September 2012 EGD/12/016/EUi
Drug News
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CHMP recommends Spedra (avanafil) as a treatment for Erectile Dysfunction in adult men
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CHMP recommends Xtandi (enzalutamide) as a treatment for Prostate Cancer
27-04-2013
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Men's Health/Andrology Drug Data - A-Z
Possible searches include drugs or medicines (by brand, generic ingredient or drug class), diseases, conditions and more.
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Recent Drug Updates
GYNO-DAKTARIN
10-05-2013For the local treatment of vulvovaginal candidosis and superinfections due to gram-positive bacteria. ...
Yentreve 20mg and 40mg hard gastro-resistant capsules
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Tolterodine Tartrate 1 mg Film-coated Tablet
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Clinical Guidelines
Guidelines on Prostate Cancer
Feb 2012The European Association of Urology (EAU) Guidelines Group for Prostate Cancer have prepared this..
... guidelines document to assist medical professionals assess the evidence-based management of prostate cancer. The multidisciplinary panel of experts include urologists, radiation oncologists, a medical oncologist, and a pathologist specialized in prostate cancer.
Management of Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS), incl. Benign Prostatic Obstruction (BPO)
Feb 2012Because patients seek help for LUTS and not an underlying attribute of the prostate such as BPH or..
... BPE, this updated guideline has been written from the perspective of men who complain about a variety of bladder storage, voiding and/or post-micturition symptoms. The recommendations made within the guideline are based on the best available evidence.
The guideline panel consisted of urologists, a pharmacologist, and an epidemiologist and statistician who have been working on the topic for the last 4 years. The guideline is primarily written for urologists but can also be used by general practitioners, patients, or other stakeholders.
Online CME
Clinical Review - Alcohol-related brain damage
Apr 2013
... including how to differentiate it from other conditions and how it can be managed.
The Basics - Lower urinary tract symptoms in men
Apr 2013
... explains when to refer to secondary care.
Clinical Trials
Multi-Center Randomized Clinical Trial Irreversible Electroporation for the Ablation of Localized Prostate Cancer
08-04-2013Multi-centre Randomized Clinical Trial: 200 patients with confirmed unilateral high-volume low risk (Gleason score 3 + 3) or intermediate risk prostate cancer (Gleason score 3 + 4) will undergo an IRE treatment. These patients will be randomized into one of the two groups of the study. Group 1: Hemi-ablation of the..
... prostate at the side of the positive biopsies (hemi-ablation) Group 2: Total ablation of the prostate (total ablation)
Patients will have an ultrasound of the prostate and the imaging data will be entered into the Planning Software system of the IRE-device. The volume of the prostate is measured and a specified ablation zone will be determined. The patients will be admitted for overnight stay in the hospital on the morning of the scheduled IRE procedure. The IRE will be performed under general anaesthetic and the specified zone identified in the planning stage will be ablated. Two to four IRE electrode needles will be placed into the prostate under ultrasound image guidance with a perineal approach using a brachytherapy grid. When the needles are in place, electric pulses of one to two minutes duration are used to ablate the specified zone. The total procedure time will be approximately 1 hour.
Safety data will be collected and patients will be followed up at 1 day post-operatively, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1, 2 and 3 year(s) post IRE.
Atorvastatin and Prostate Cancer (ESTO1)
22-03-2013This single-center, randomized, double-blind trial assesses the impact of short-term atorvastatin administration on proliferation activity, apoptotic rate and histological inflammation in prostate tissue.
Medical Videos
Medical Journal Abstracts
A national study of the provision of oncology sperm banking services among Canadian fertility clinics
European Journal of Cancer Care
Feb 2013
The purpose of this study was to survey the current state of oncology sperm banking services provided by fertility clinics across Canada. A total of 78 Canadian fertility facilities were invited to complete a questionnaire related to the availability, accessibility, affordability and utilisation of sperm banking..
Identification of transcription factors associated with castration-resistance: Is the serum responsive factor a potential therapeutic target?
The Prostate
Jan 2013
Background: Advanced prostate cancer is treated by hormone ablation therapy. However, despite an initial response, the majority of men relapse to develop castration-resistant disease for which there are no effective treatments. We have previously shown that manipulating individual proteins has only minor alterations on..
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