Background. Varicocele is associated with high levels of DNA damage in spermatozoa due to oxidative stress and elevated levels of sperm DNA fragmentation, which has been currently proposed to be an essential additional diagnostic test to be recommended for patients with clinical varicocele. The aim of this study was to evaluate the parameters of semen and the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in patients with varicocele before and after varicocelectomy. Methods. The details of 92 consecutive patients were retrospectively analyzed from January 2010 to December 2012. The sperm samples were evaluated according to the World Health Organization Guidelines. Sperm DNA damage, characterized as DFI, was evaluated by sperm chromatin structure assay using flow cytometry. Results. There was a statistically significant improvement in the semen concentration, the total motile count, the total normal sperm count, and the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI; the percentage of sperm with denatured DNA) after varicocelectomy. There was a large decrease in DFI from a preoperative mean of 42.6% to a postoperative mean of 20.5% (P < 0.001). A higher preoperative DFI was associated with a larger decrease in postoperative DFI, and significant negative correlations were observed between the DFI and sperm motility (r = −0.42, P < 0.01). Conclusion. Our data suggest that varicocelectomy can improve multiple semen parameters and sperm DNA damage in infertile men with varicocele. The patients with preoperative defects in those parameters showed greater improvement postoperatively. Further research in this area is needed to understand the exact mechanisms of DNA damage in infertile men with varicocele.

Introduction: We estimate the frequency of prostate cancers detected incidentally in radical cystoprostatectomy specimens and discuss whether the prostate cancer status should be determined in patients undergoing radical cystoprostatectomy. Materials and Methods: A total of 97 radical cystoprostatectomies without evidence of prostate cancer on digital rectal examination were performed for transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder between January 2001 and May 2004. The mean patient age at the time of surgery was 66.9 ± 9.52 (range 49–75) years. Results: The overall incidence of prostate cancer detected in radical cystoprostatectomy specimens was 21.6% (21/97 specimens). The mean tumor volume was found to be 0.93 ± 0.81 ml. The tumor volume was >0.5 ml in 12 cases (57.1%). The surgical margin was negative in all cases, and the disease was organ confined in 20 patients (95.2%). Capsular invasion was evident in 2 patients (9.5%), 1 of whom had lymph-node-positive disease. Conclusions: Despite the high prevalence of incidental prostate carcinomas among patients with bladder cancer undergoing cystoprostatectomy, the vast majority of the cancers are organ confined. However, the prostate cancer status should be determined on the basis of digital rectal examination and prostate-specific antigen in patients undergoing radical cystoprostatectomy – especially if prostate-sparing cystectomy is planned.

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