<b><i>Purpose:</i></b> Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is transmitted primarily via respiratory droplets and enters host cells through angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptors. ACE-2 receptors have been identified in many tissues including testes. The aim of the study has been to investigate the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) and its relative treatment on male reproductive health. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Cross-sectional analysis has been performed on 49 recovered COVID-19 patients who had semen analysis prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who had a recovery time lag of at least 3 months have been re-examined, and 29 eligible patients with no andrological problems have been enrolled in the study. Following a detailed physical examination and retrieval of medical history, the values of semen analysis and serum sex hormone parameters have been collected and compared before and after COVID-19 infection. The <i>p</i> value of <0.05 has been considered significant. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The average age of the 29 patients has been 31.21 ± 5.48 (range: 18–41) years. Favipiravir has been co-administered with hydroxychloroquine in 17 patients, while the remaining 12 received favipiravir treatment without hydroxychloroquine. The average time between clinical recovery from COVID-19 and collection of semen has been 4.52 ± 1.36 (range: 3–8) months. Before and after COVID-19, serum follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, total testosterone, and prolactin levels, as well as all semen parameters, have been comparable. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Our study demonstrated that COVID-19 and its treatment with favipiravir and hydroxychloroquine did not affect spermatogenesis and serum androgen levels in the long-term period. Further clinical studies with larger sample size are needed to confirm and support our findings.
Objective: Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men. Digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasonography and serum prostate specific antigen represents a diagnostic triad for the detection of prostatic carcinoma. About 50 years ago, Dr. Donald Gleason created a grading system for prostate cancer based on its histologic patterns. Currently, this system maintains its validity with various changes. New updates were made in 2005 and 2014 by the International Society of Urological Pathology. The goal of biopsies is to determine the Gleason score and prognosis in prostatectomy material. The aim of this study was to determine the concordance of the Gleason score, tumor volume and tumor laterality between prostate needle biopsy and prostatectomy materials. Material and Method:The study was performed with 112 patients who had biopsy and prostatectomy materials. The Gleason grades of the tumors have been evaluated with the new grading system. Tumor volumes were calculated by the number of positive blocks while tumor laterality was evaluated as unilateral or bilateral. Statistical analysis was performed on the obtained data.Results: Gleason score, tumor volume and tumor laterality discordance between needle biopsy and prostatectomy materials was found to be statistically significant. However, the concordance increased as the Gleason score and tumor volume increased. Conclusion:Digital examination, serum prostate specific antigen value and needle biopsy together are very sensitive for a prostate adenocarcinoma diagnosis. The Gleason score, localization and volume of the tumors are important for patient follow-up, treatment and prognosis.
Background:The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic role of preoperative hematological parameters, especially neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and mean platelet volume (MPV) in germ cell testicular malignancies and their prediagnostic role in staging of testicular cancer.Materials and Methods:In this cross-sectional retrospective study, we analyzed 39 patients who underwent radical orchiectomy due to a testicular cancer (Group 1) and 82 patients on whom varicocelectomy procedure was performed as control group (Group 2) between January 2006 and January 2016 in our clinic. Evaluation of the preoperative hematological parameters in both groups and also the subgroups in malignancy group according to histopathological stages was conducted in this study.Results:When the hematological parameters were compared, a statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of neutrophil counts, NLR, PLR, and MPV. NLR and PLR were significantly higher and MPV was significantly lower in testicular cancer group compared to the control group. NLR was 3.1 ± 1.4 and 2.0 ± 1.5, PLR was 141.3 ± 53.2 and 115.7 ± 44.8, and MPV was 8.9 ± 1.0 and 9.3 ± 1.1 for testicular cancer and control groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Furthermore, differences were observed between only mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and MPV (P < 0.05) in different stages of malignancy.Conclusion:In accordance with these findings, NLR, PLR, and MPV may be helpful for prediagnosis of testicular malignancies. Hematological parameters will become important in the preoperative assessment for those patients.
Pheochromocytoma is a rare and usually benign neuroendocrine neoplasm. Only 10% of all these tumors are malignant and there are no definitive histological or cytological criteria of malignancy. Single malignancy criteria are the presence of advanced locoregional disease or metastases. We report a case, with a giant retroperitoneal tumor having multiple metastases including palpable rib metastases, who was diagnosed as a malignant pheochromocytoma. The patient was treated with surgery. The literature was reviewed to evaluate tumor features and current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for patients with metastatic or potentially malignant pheochromocytoma.
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