EDITOR’S COMMENT
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 doi: 10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2013.02.01

Basic Research in Prostate Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Pediatric Urology and Erectile Dysfunction

            The March-April 2013 issue of the International Braz J Urol presents original contributions with a lot of basic research papers in different fields. The papers come from many different countries such as Brazil, USA, China, Turkey, Jordan, Iran and Italy and as usual the editor´s comment highlights some papers.
            Dr. Pontes-Junior and collegues from University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil performed on page XXX a interesting basic research about prostate cancer (PC). The authors evaluated the expression of β1 integrin in localized PC and make the correlation with the pattern of expression with recurrence after surgical treatment. In 111 patients with localized PC who underwent radical prostatectomy. They concluded that the loss of β1 integrin imunne expression was correlated with biochemical recurrence in patients treated with radical prostatectomy for localized PC.
            Doctor Zerati and collegues from University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil, performed on page XXX a retrospective study in 95 patients about the molecular biology of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). The results of this paper further support an emerging concept in the literature about the limited usefulness of CA-IX as a prognostic marker in non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Carbonic Anhydrase IX expression did not correlate with overall survival, T stage, tumor size, Fuhrman nuclear grade, microvascular invasion and peri-renal fat invasion in non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
            Doctor Karaman, and collegues from the Department of Urology, Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey performed on page XXX a study about punishment methods in nocturnal enuresis (NE) in Turkey and its relationship with other parameters in a total of 501 children. According to the results of this study, a quite high proportion of enuretic children were detected to be exposed to punishment methods. Even, some parents consider that these methods are a part of nocturnal enuresis treatment. The authors conclude that the doctors, should endeavor more for raising awareness of the community in order to diminish this.
            Doctor Cabral and collegues from the Ipiranga Hospital and Brazilian Institute of Cancer Control, Sao Paulo, Brazil performed on page XXX an interesting study about testosterone as a predictor of aggressive disease in subjects with clinically localized PCa in 164 patients submitted to radical prostatectomy. This study indicates that testosterone may be a useful predictive tool once pathological extraprostatic extension was somewhat signaled by lower TT levels preoperatively. However, it does not consolidate a clear association between aggressive tumor biology and hypogonadism
            Doctor Pereira and collegues from Urogenital Research Unit - State Universtiy from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, performed on page XXX a interesting basic research about morphologic alterations in the the f penile vascular structures and the corpus cavernosum (CC) area in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. The authors concluded that experimentally induced DM by alloxan injection in rabbits resulting in 10 weeks of hyperglycemia causes important changes in the vascular structures of the penis, promoting alterations in the tunica intima, media, and adventitia, as well as significant decreases in the area of the CC sinuses. These changes decrease the blood supply and affect the hemodynamics of the penis, thus leading to erectile dysfunction.
            Doctor Tostes and collegues from Urogenital Research Unit - State Universtiy from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, performed on page XXX a interesting basic research about the incidence and structure of testicular appendices (TAs) in patients with cryptorchidism, comparing their incidence with epididymal anomalies (EA) and patency of the vaginal process (PVP) and analyzes the structure of TAs in 55 patients with cryptorchidism. The authors shows that there was no difference in the incidence of testicular appendices in relation to the testicular position in the patients with cryptorchidism. There also was no increased incidence of anatomical anomalies associated with the testes containing appendices. The testicular appendices showed a significant structural alteration in the patients with cryptorchidism: although the epithelium was not changed, the testicular appendices of the patients with cryptorchidism had a larger quantity of elastic fibers and smaller quantity of smooth muscle cells and predominance of type III collagen, remodeling in patients with cryptorchidism.
            Doctor Camara-Lopes and collegues from University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil, performed on page XXX a interesting study about the Prostatic artery embolization (PAE) for the treatment of patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This is the first description in BPH patients treated by PAE, a new procedure that is being used increasingly as a therapeutic intervention. The recognition of the changes caused by this new modality of treatment has become a very important differential in a chronic granulomatous reaction of the prostate tissue.
            Doctor Asgari and collegues from the University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, performed on page XXX a interesting study about the erectile function (EF) and sexual desire (SD) in men after radical cystoprostatectomy (RCP) who had either an ileal conduit urinary diversion or orthotropic ileal neobladder substitution in 81 patients. The authors concluded that there were significant differences in EF and sexual desire domains between ileal conduit and orthotopic ileal neobladder diversion groups. Therefore, orthotopic ileal neobladder it is the best option especially in younger patients requiring RCP.

Luciano A. Favorito, MD, PhD
Associated Editor
Internacional Braz J Urol