Chronic epididymitis (CE) is a long-standing inflammatory condition of the epididymis caused by unresolved acute infections, chronic infections, medication use, or other factors. Clinically, it is characterized by persistent dull pain or a dragging sensation in one or both sides of the scrotum. The disease course typically exceeds three months and is marked by insidious onset and recurrent episodes. Current studies suggest that CE may disrupt the epididymal microenvironment through multiple pathological processes, including local inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, fibrotic remodeling, and autophagy. These alterations impair sperm maturation, transport, and capacitation, thereby contributing to male reproductive dysfunction and infertility. This review summarizes the major etiologies and pathophysiological characteristics of CE and its impact on male reproductive function. It focuses on the roles of inflammatory cytokines and related signaling pathways, oxidative stress mechanisms, and fibrotic progression in the pathogenesis of CE. Moreover, it explores targeted therapeutic strategies based on these mechanisms, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for identifying key molecular targets and signaling pathways involved in CE-induced male reproductive impairment.

Chronic epididymitis (CE) is a long-standing inflammatory condition of the epididymis caused by unresolved acute infections, chronic infections, medication use, or other factors. Clinically, it is characterized by persistent dull pain or a dragging sensation in one or both sides of the scrotum. The disease course typically exceeds three months and is marked by insidious onset and recurrent episodes. Current studies suggest that CE may disrupt the epididymal microenvironment through multiple pathological processes, including local inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, fibrotic remodeling, and autophagy. These alterations impair sperm maturation, transport, and capacitation, thereby contributing to male reproductive dysfunction and infertility. This review summarizes the major etiologies and pathophysiological characteristics of CE and its impact on male reproductive function. It focuses on the roles of inflammatory cytokines and related signaling pathways, oxidative stress mechanisms, and fibrotic progression in the pathogenesis of CE. Moreover, it explores targeted therapeutic strategies based on these mechanisms, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for identifying key molecular targets and signaling pathways involved in CE-induced male reproductive impairment.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of survivin protein in the tissues of prostatic carcinoma and its correlation with apoptosis of cancer cells.

METHODSExpression of survivin protein and apoptosis index(AI) were detected by immunohistochemical and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transterase-mediated dUTP biotin nich end labeling(TUNEL) technique in the tissues of 42 cases of prostatic carcinima (PCa) and 10 cases of normal prostate (NP).

RESULTSSurvivin prosteins were expressed in 34 of the 42 (80.59%) cases of PCa. The positive rate of survivin was strongly associated with pathological grades, clinical stages and lymphmetastasis in PCa(P < 0.05). In contrast, NP did not express survivin. Survivin protein expression was negatively correlated with AI in PCa(r = -0.679, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSApoptosis inhibition by survivin may participate in the onset and progression of PCa, and the detection of survivin protein and AI in PCa may help to evaluate the degree of cell differentiation, decide therapeutic strategies and estimate prognosis.

Aged ; Apoptosis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; analysis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic features and diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma to the spleen (MCS).

METHODSFour patients (1 man and 3 women, mean age 43.5 years) with MCS were analyzed clinicopathologically.

RESULTSThe four MCS patients accounted for 1.3% of 308 patients having spleen biopsy from 1959 to 1999. Their chief presentations were pain and mass in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. The mass was located in the upper pole of the spleen (1 patient), the lower pole of the spleen (2), or the lower pole and hilum of the spleen (1). Macroscopically, all of the lesions were nodular. Histologic type of these MCSs included acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas (2 patients), transverse colon adenocarcinoma (1), and hepatic cell carcinoma (1). Clinically, 1 patient was diagnosed as having MCS and 3 were misdiagnosed. According to Chinese literature, the clinicopathologic features of MCS were as follows: (1) 66.7% of the patients with MCS were aged 30 approximately 60 years, with a mean of 51.2 years. (2) 76.3% of the patients presented with pain in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen and 63.2% with splenomegaly and splenic masses. (3) Macroscopically, nodular lesions accounted for 68.4%. (4) Microscopically, 84.2% of the lesions were adenocarcinomas and 70.3% originated from carcinomas of the colon, liver, ovary and pancreas. (5) B-mode ultrasonography and/or CT showed occupying lesions or masses in the spleen in 76.7%, and MCS in 11.8%. (6) Clinically, 73.7% of the patients were misdiagnosed.

CONCLUSIONSMCS is uncommon but its clinical misdiagnosis rate is high. Image examination is of value in clinical diagnosis. Cooperation of clinicians and pathologists may enhance the diagnostic level of MCS.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Splenic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; secondary