Abstract
Prostatic stones are a common condition in older men in industrialized countries. However, aging appears not to be the unique pathogenesis of these calcifications. Our morpho-constitutional investigation of 23 stone samples suggested that infection has a significant role in the lithogenic process of prostate calcifications, even without detection of infection by clinical investigation. Most stones (83%) showed bacterial imprints and/or chemical composition, suggestive of a long-term infection process. Chronic infection may induce persistent inflammation of the tissue and secondarily, a cancerization process within a few years. Thus, the discovery of prostate calcifications by computerized tomodensitometry, for example, might warrant further investigation and management to search for chronic infection of the prostate gland.
Highlights
Prostate cancer is the second most frequent cause of mortality due to cancer in males in the United States [1]
Several other mineral phases previously not reported in prostatic calculi were octacalcium phosphate pentahydrate and amorphous carbonated calcium phosphate [7]
Samples We investigated 23 prostatic stones obtained from the Saint-Louis and Tenon hospitals in Paris
Summary
Prostate cancer is the second most frequent cause of mortality due to cancer in males in the United States [1]. Because almost 99% of surgically removed prostates contain stones, these stones are generally considered clinically insignificant [3]. We noted the large chemical diversity of these prostatic stones. Carbonated calcium phosphate apatite (carbapatite; CA) seems to be the major component, but several investigations show the presence of other mineral phases such as calcium oxalate monohydrate and dihydrate [4], brushite [5], and whitlockite [6]. Several other mineral phases previously not reported in prostatic calculi were octacalcium phosphate pentahydrate and amorphous carbonated calcium phosphate [7]. Such chemical diversity indicates significant variations in the local biochemistry, which may be linked to different conditions
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