Pediatric-adolescent andrology: Single centre experience

Abstract

Introduction: Andrology is the medical specialty dealing with men’s health and reproductive system from birth to adulthood, including genital, hormonal, reproductive, sexual as well as psychological aspects; the aim of this study is to report our 10 year-experience Material and methods: In September 2009, a Pediatric Andrology Outpatient Clinic was opened at the Authors’ Institution. The continuous request for access to the service, together with an increasingly helpful collaboration with local clinicians, has led to an increase in the number of treated patients. At the Clinic, visits are performed for both surgical and medical consultations by the multidisciplinary medical group for the treatment of conditions in the adolescent patient. All patients are followed every 3, 6 and 12 months when indicated. Patients with undescended testes were excluded because managed into a specific protocol. Also patients with syndrome or metabolic diseases are excluded from the analysis. Results: During the study period, September 2009-September 2019, the following conditions were managed: varicocele - 1436 patients; gynecomastia - 18 patients; penile curvature - 89 patients; webbed penis - 132 patients; hypospadias-related diseases - 39 patients; erectile dysfunction - 14 patients; obesity and abnormal semen analysis - 47 patients. During the study period there was an increase for each category especially for medical reasons. Conclusions: Pediatric-adolescent andrology clinics should count on the expertise of different skilled professionals to cope with an ever-increasing number of requests and to offer the timely management of conditions that until very recently were considered social taboos or caused concern only in adulthood like the erectile dysfunction. The evolution of our society, which also means evolution of the mass media, should go hand in hand with the development of Medicine, which needs to adjust to and prevent new healthcare issues.

Adolescent male genitalia dissatisfaction

“…This study, despite being based on a small number of cases and being a single-center survey, 27 28 has shown that even adolescents have an interest in the appearance of their external genitalia. Surgical reconstruction, objectively motivated and correctly performed, allows a significant increase in the score of appreciation of their genitals.…”

Varicocele in paediatric age: Is the scientific community on the correct pathway?

“…(e) patients treated surgically are monitored only with semen analysis without long time fertility follow-up. Focusing on Literature results, especially on clinical aspects of patients with varicocele, it is possible to conclude that varicocele-related testicular dysfunction occurs much earlier than testicular asymmetry, and testicular dysfunction may be detectable before testicular growth arrest (Diamond et al, 2007;Keene, Sajad, Rakoczy, & Cervellione, 2012;Kurtz et al, 2015;Olana et al, 2018;Zampieri, Bosaro, Costantini, Zaffagnini, & Zampieri, 2013;Zampieri & Camoglio, 2020;Zampieri et al, 2007;Zampieri, Zuin, Corroppolo, Ottolenghi, & Camoglio, 2008).…”

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin-Mediated Induction of Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation and Differentiation

“…Its role in normal tissue seems to be mainly autoregulatory by favoring the stimulation of cell growth [ 2 ]. Despite the molecular effect of hCG on fertility being a clinical subject matter [ 3 , 4 ], its role in cancer development has not yet been completely assessed and remains controversial, with some authors showing that hCG exerts anti-tumoral effects by decreasing cell proliferation [ 5 ], and others showing that it acts as a pro-cancer hormone [ 6 , 7 ]. In support of the protective role of hCG against breast cancer, in vitro studies demonstrated that hCG decreased cancer cell proliferation [ 8 ], and in vivo models showed that hCG administration reduced the risk of carcinogen-induced breast cancer in rats, together with the induction of apoptosis [ 9 , 10 ].…”