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Objectives: To investigate the effects of insulin replacement on ejaculatory dysfunction in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Rats were divided into three groups: (i) STZ-treated group; (ii) STZ-treated + insulin replacement (5 and 2 international units [IU]) group; and (iii) control group. The ejaculatory function in rats was evaluated using the spontaneous seminal emission (SSE) test. The amount of seminal vesicle fluid (SVF) stored in seminal vesicle was measured after the SSE test. Blood glucose was measured using a simplified blood glucose meter. Results: In the SSE test, the ejaculatory capacity in STZ-induced diabetic rats deteriorated with time after the onset of diabetes, and the incidence of SSE and the amount of ejaculated seminal material (SM) were significantly decreased from 5 weeks after STZ administration. Likewise, the amount of SVF was also significantly decreased in a time-dependent manner. One week after STZ administration when ejaculatory capacity had not yet diminished, insulin replacement (for 4 weeks) completely prevented the decrease in frequency of SSE, the amount of SM and SVF. However, insulin replacement after the dysfunction had occurred (5 or 15 weeks after STZ administration) did not allow all parameters for ejaculatory function to be restored to the levels of the control group. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that at an early stage following the onset of diabetes, insulin replacement can prevent ejaculatory dysfunction in STZ-induced diabetic rats, but once the dysfunction occurs, treatment with insulin alone does not restore the ejaculatory capacity to normal levels. In addition, this study suggests that the loss of seminal emission that results from a decrease in SVF may be involved in the mechanism of ejaculatory dysfunction in diabetic rats.

Objectives: To examine the differences in the distribution of prostate cancer (PCa) in the craniocaudal dimension and their potential significance. Methods: We studied 1253 patients with clinically localized PCa treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) from 1983 to 2000. We analyzed the clinicopathological features according to the craniocaudal distribution (apex, mid, base) of the largest cancer focus. Results: Of these patients, 456 (36%) had the largest cancer focus in the apex, 728 (58%) in the mid, and 69 (6%) in the base. The cancers in the apex were less invasive than those in the mid or base, as evidenced by the lower frequency of extracapsular extension (27% vs 43%, 52%, respectively) and/or seminal vesicle involvement (5% vs 13%, 20%, respectively). The frequency of the largest cancer focus in the apex has increased significantly over time, from 26% before 1995 to 46% after 1995 (P

Primary diseases of the seminal vesicle are rare. Most seminal vesicle cysts are congenital, and two-thirds are associated with renal dysplasia or agenesis and ectopic ureter opening into the seminal vesicle. Acquired cysts may be due to genitourinary infections, surgical prostate resection or ejaculatory duct lithiasis. We report a case of video laparoscopic ablation of seminal vesicle cysts.

Background: A simple and non-invasive methods for the diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder are needed for the prevention of invasive tumor. A proteomic technology has recently been developed to facilitate protein profiling of biological mixtures. We tried to detect the marker proteins by proteomic approach during the initiation stages on N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN)-induced bladder carcinogenesis in rats. Methods: Ten rats in group A were given 0.05% BBN in drinking water for 12 weeks. Other 10 rats in group B with 10 rats were designated as a control group and were not given BBN. Whole urinary bladders of all rats were excised at 12 weeks from the beginning of the experiment. Conventional proteomics was performed with high resolution 2-dimension gel electrophoresis followed by computational image analysis and protein identification using mass spectrometry. Results: A comparison of urinary bladder hyperplasia tissue with control tissue showed that five proteins; actin γ2 propeptide, cytokeratin-20 (CK-20), proapolipoprotein, α2 actin (α-cardiac actin) and heat shock 27 kDa protein-1 were over-expressed in hyperplastic tissues. Three proteins; transcription factor myocardin, seminal vesicle secretory protein VI (SVS-VI) precursor and hypothetical protein RMT-7 were under-expressed in hyperplastic tissues. Conclusion: In our animal mode, BBN-induced urinary bladder mucosal hyperplasia resulted in an increase in the expression of five proteins and a decrease in the expression of three proteins. Of these, CK-20 and SVS-VI seem to be of particular interest. However other method such as Western blotting seems to be needed for confirmation of these proteins and more information on human bladder tissue is needed for clinical application.

We describe an extremely rare case of poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma arising from the seminal vesicle. A 67-year-old man presented with a left humeral bone tumor resulting in a pathological fracture. Positron emission tomography scan disclosed a large pelvic tumor mimicking prostatic cancer invading into the seminal vesicle. Laboratory data showed an elevation of neuron-specific enolase, despite the normal prostate-specific antigen. Transrectal needle biopsy showed a poorly differentiated carcinoma of the right seminal vesicle and the metastasis of the pelvic lymph node. Immunohistochemical results were compatible with the features of neuroendocrine carcinoma; synaptophysin, chromogranin A and CD 56 were positive. The previously biopsied bone tumor was finally diagnosed as a metastasis. A systemic chemotherapy using etoposide and cisplatin failed. The patient died of cancer one-and-a-half years later.

Primary tumors of the seminal vesicle are quite rare with most reported cases being carcinomas. However, benign tumors of the seminal vesicle are extremely rare. We report a case of a cystadenomas of the seminal vesicles in a 46-year-old asymptomatic man, which was detected incidentally by computed tomography.

We present a rare case of a hydatid cyst involving the seminal vesicle of a 48-year-old man. Urinary retention was the initial symptom. Both imaging and clinical evaluation revealed a substantial retrovesical cystic mass. The histopathological report was 'hydatid cyst of the seminal vesicle'.

Background: Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is expected to be undetectable after radical prostatectomy unless there is residual disease or disease progression. The aim of this study was to confirm the usefulness of serum PSA measurements in monitoring patients after radical prostatectomy. Methods: We conducted a study of 50 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for clinical stage T1 -2 or small T3 prostate cancer, analyzed serum PSA levels before and after surgery and compared the pathological findings and clinical outcome. Results: Postoperative PSA elevation (PSA failure) was noted in 13% of patients with organ-confined disease (OCD), 43% with positive surgical margins and/or seminal vesicle involvement (PSM/SVI), and 60% with positive lymph nodes (N+). Postoperative clinical failure was noted in 8 patients, and all were preceded by PSA failures. The 3-year PSA failure-free rates were 86.5%, 32.1 %, and 40.7% and the 3-year clinical failure-free rates were 100%, 67.5%, and 73.5% in patients with OCD, PSM/SVI and N+, respectively. Conclusion: An elevation of serum PSA levels after radical prostatectomy was a sensitive indicator of persistent disease after surgery, and preceded clinical manifestations of disease progression.

Hydatid disease of the urogenital system, especially of the retroperitoneum and seminal vesicles, is a very rare condition. We report a case of hydatid disease located in the liver, retrovesical region and seminal vesicle that was diagnosed incidentally while investigating the etiology of syncope. Transabdominal and transrectal ultrasonography revealed hypoecoic multicystic masses which had thin septations and walls in the liver, retrovesical region and seminal vesicle. Abdominal computed tomography examination showed multicystic low attenuation masses in the same region. Pelvic magnetic resonance image findings revealed multiple cystic masses in the retrovesical region and the right seminal vesicle. In conclusion, the diagnosis of hydatid disease should be kept in mind with patients who have cystic lesions in seminal vesicle and retrovesical region.

A case is presented of an ectopic ureter opening into the seminal vesicle associated with hypodysplastic kidney in an infant. We reviewed 135 cases (139 ureteral units) of male ectopic ureter from the Japanese literature and, of the 139 ectopic ureters, 109 were single-system ectopic ureters, and 26 ureters were associated with the ureteral duplication. Sixty-three and 73 ureters opened into the urinary tract and seminal tract, respectively. In patients 15 years or older, 65 cases of ectopic ureter opened into the seminal tract and 33 cases opened into the urinary tract, whereas in children under 15 years, the ectopic orifice was located more often in the urinary tract (26 cases) than in the seminal tract (8 cases). Presenting symptoms differed according to the location of the ectopic orifice. Ectopic ureters opening into the urinary tract most often presented with urinary tract infection and abdominal or lumbar pain. On the other hand, voiding and ejaculatory symptoms as well as perineal or genital pain were characteristic in ectopic ureters opening into the seminal tract. Of the 83 associated renal segments that were surgically removed, dysplasia, hypoplasia and aplasia were found in 22, 24, 14 cases, respectively. It was noteworthy that 48 of the 53 single ectopic ureters opening into the seminal vesicle were associated with ipsilateral renal dysgenesis.

Background: We report here an extremely rare case of cystosarcoma phyllodes of the seminal vesicle. Methods: A 65-year-old man presented with urinary hesitancy, frequency and constipation. Clinical examinations including two needle biopsies were performed, and the patient had undergone open surgery. Results: The final pathological diagnosis was cystosarcoma phyllodes of the seminal vesicle. Seven months after the operation, a chest X-ray showed lung metastasis, and the patient died 11 months after the operation. Conclusion: To our knowledge, only one case of cystosarcoma phyllodes of the seminal vesicle has been previously reported.

We previously reported that seminal vesiculitis was associated with acute epididymitis, and that Chlamydia trachomatis was the major causative pathogen for infection of the seminal vesicle, suggesting that seminal vesiculitis was a discrete disease entity. In this paper, we report two patients with bacteriologically and cytologically proven seminal vesiculitis who had asymptomatic urethritis but not epididymitis. The clinical courses of these patients suggest that chlamydial seminal vesiculitis may be a cause of asymptomatic infection of the urethra or subsequent development of acute epididymitis.

Seminal vesicle cysts are uncommon abnormalities in the pelvis. The case of a seminal vesicle cyst that extended through the inguinal canal is reported. A 35-year-old man presented with left inguinal swelling. He was diagnosed with a left inguinal hernia. However, the interpretative diagnosis was a spermatic cord tumor. The operation was changed to tumor resection. The tumor existed along with the vas deferens from part of the parietal peritoneum outside the inguinal tunnel to the deep pelvic space. The cylinder-shaped tumor was 3 cm in diameter and 20 cm long. Pathological examination revealed a seminal vesicle cyst that extended through the inguinal canal. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of a seminal vesicle cyst inguinal hernia.