Most physicians spend their time working and thinking about the diagnosis and treatment of diseases which occur in their individ ual patients. So it is not surprising that the main subject at urological meetings over the past decade has been the diagnosis and treatment of prostate disease. This situation is likely to continue into the next millennium. Controversy as to the best methods of treating prostate disease is intense as proposals are put forward to rethink apparently firmly established methods of diagnosis and treatment and replace them with new procedures. Important contributions to...

All epidemiological data predict an endemic rise of prostate cancer in populations with a high proportion of elderly people, leading to a major health problem. The only way to stem this evolution is early detection in organised random- ised trials. Discussion of this controversial subject is followed by an exhaustive review of the endocrine mechanisms stimulating prostate growth and the promising avenues of future research and treatment. Radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy are presented and analysed. Once patients are past this stage of cure, a wide array of medical treatments are...