Primary melanoma of the prostate: case report and review of the literature

Background: Primary melanoma of the prostate has an extremely rare incidence. Only five cases have been reported in the literature and prognosis is poor. The most likely origin of prostatic melanoma is the transitional epithelium of the prostatic urethra. Surgical care for primary melanoma of mucosal sites is less well established than for primary cutaneous melanoma, but excision of the primary is recommended if the patient has no systemic disease. Case presentation: Here, we describe a case of primary malignant melanoma of the prostate. A 37-year-old male patient with history of both chemo- and radiation therapy for Hodgkin’s disease was admitted to the University Hospital Heidelberg on suspicion of pleomorphic sarcoma of the bladder. In-house diagnostic work-up revealed a malignant melanoma of the prostate. We then performed radical prostatectomy with extended lymphadenectomy. Despite presumably curative surgery, the patient suffered from early relapse of disease with pulmonary metastasis. Systemic chemotherapy and subsequent immuno-oncologic treatment was thereafter initiated. Conclusion: Since prostatic melanoma is a rare disease and a melanoma metastasis of unknown primary is the differential diagnosis, a multidisciplinary approach including early imaging to rule out possible metastases and to search for another potentially existing primary is advisable. To prevent complications related to local tumor progression and to receive tissue for mutational analysis, we recommend complete surgical resection to reduce the tumor mass. Novel immune and targeted oncologic therapies can lead to an improved survival in some cases and support of clinical trials is needed

Role of Focal Therapy with High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound in the Management of Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer

Overtreatment of prostate cancer (PC) remains one of the main burdens in uro-oncology. Focal therapy may be a reasonable alternative with less side effects and morbidity. Application of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) induces immediate and irreversible coagulation. The treatment leads to consecutive necrosis with sharply delineated margins, making HIFU a promising tool for the focal therapy of localized PC. Unlike radiation, the treatment leaves no collateral damage outside of the heated tissue, allowing repeated use of HIFU, if necessary. In case of non-organ-confined relapse, additional radical salvage therapy can be performed. This review gives an overview of the existing evidence on focal HIFU. Today, 3 HIFU devices are approved for the treatment of localized PC: Sonablate (TM), AblathermTM and the FocalOne (TM) device. In summary, the first published results of focal HIFU are promising. The quality of life and potency of the patients are well preserved. Therefore, HIFU treatment, and especially focal ablation of tumor foci, seems to be a safe alternative to standard treatment, with low side effects. The oncologic results seem satisfactory but need further follow-up to validate this practice of PC control. (C) 2015 S. Karger GmbH, Freibur

Antioxidant Supplementation on Male Fertility—A Systematic Review

Our aim was to review the current literature regarding the effect of antioxidant supplementation (AS) on male fertility parameters, as AS is commonly used to treat male infertility due to the availability and affordability of antioxidants in many parts of the world. Materials and methods: PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane electronic bibliographies were searched using the modified Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to evaluate studies on the benefit of antioxidant therapy on infertile men. Results were analyzed regarding the following aspects: (a) ingredient and dose; (b) potential mechanism of action and rationale for use; and (c) effect on various reported outcomes. Results: Thus, 29 studies found a substantial positive effect of AS on outcomes of assisted reproductive therapy (ART), WHO semen parameters, and live-birth rate. Carnitines, Vitamin E and C, N-acetyl cysteine, coenzyme Q10, selenium, zinc, folic acid, and lycopene were beneficial ingredients. Nevertheless, some studies did not show a substantial change in one or more factors. Conclusion: AS seems to have a positive effect on male fertility. Environmental factors may play an increasing role in fertility. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal AS combination and the influence of environmental factors