Predictive medicine in non-malignant urological disorders

World J Urol. 2004 Feb;21(6):369-76. doi: 10.1007/s00345-003-0381-9. Epub 2003 Dec 20.

Abstract

The potential of disease prediction in non-malignant disorders should not be undervalued. Such disorders present several characteristics which make them suitable for disease prediction: they can be wide-spread, strongly affect the patients' quality of life, lead to a heavy burden on social health expenses and have a protracted clinical course. Moreover, people who present a high risk for non-malignant disease can be successfully introduced to long-term preventive measures such as lifestyle modifications, dietary changes and improvement in hygienic conditions. There is a growing demand for developing predictive medical strategies in urology. While urological cancers are the main focus of interest, we analyse the potentialities and challenges of predictive medicine in non-malignant urological disorders, with particular attention to benign prostate hyperplasia and urolithiasis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Preventive Medicine / methods
  • Prostatic Hyperplasia / epidemiology*
  • Prostatic Hyperplasia / genetics
  • Prostatic Hyperplasia / physiopathology
  • Recurrence
  • Risk Assessment
  • Urinary Calculi / epidemiology*
  • Urinary Calculi / genetics
  • Urinary Calculi / physiopathology