Report of 6th Great Wall Translational Andrology and Urology Forum & 7th Asian-Pacific Society of Men’s Health and Anti-aging Meeting (GTAUF2014 & APSMHA2014)
The 6th Great Wall Translational Andrology and Urology Forum & the 7th Asian-Pacific Society of Men’s Health and Anti-aging Meeting (GTAUF2014 & APSMHA2014) were successfully held at Beijing conference center from September 11 to 14, 2014 (Figure 1). The meeting was well organized by Asian-Pacific Society of Men’s Health and Anti-aging (APSMHA), Beijing Guo Ying-Lu Urological Development Foundation (BGUDF), and Genitourinary Medical Association of China International Exchange and Promotive Association for Medical and Health Care (GUA-CPAM). Prof. Ying-Lu Guo (Figure 2), Tom F. Lue (Figure 3), Zeyi Cao and Zhongcheng Xin (Figure 4) severed as the co-presidents of the meeting, while Prof. Liqun Zhou (Figure 5) from the Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital severed as local organizing chairman. More information could be viewed at the meeting website of www.GTAUF2014.com.
With the theme of “A Dream of Genitourinary Health and Healthy Longevity”, this forum provided healthcare providers and researchers a detailed overview on the progress and advancement in andrology and urology, and an opportunity to catch the modern concepts of translational medicine, to develop and expand basic and clinical research ideas, to optimize the experimental design for promoting basic research, and to ultimately improve the diagnosis and treatment of genitourinary diseases. It also served as a bridge for faculty members and attendees in exchanging scientific ideas, establishing friendship, building up collaborations in research and patient care. This meeting brought together more than 800 domestic and international experts to discuss the latest discoveries and advances in both urology and andrology and translate these findings into clinical practice. More than 100 presentations over 3 days from urologists, andrologists and researchers were always going to have something for everyone.
The meeting content comprised of 22 plenary sessions, 96 podium lectures, and 23 presentations from young scientists (Figure 6). Another highlight of the meeting is firstly adding the sessions for the female reproductive medicine and nursing communication on urology. The proceedings for the meeting totally collected 118 lectures from invited experts who are focusing on urology, reproduction, basic research and other fields, while 228 abstracts in English and 389 abstracts in Chinese, and all of them were published in the journal of Translational Andrology and Urology (TAU). The principal invited lectures at the meeting are introduced as followed:
Plenary session
Many aspects of urology and andrology were discussed on the first day of the meeting, ranging from urinary calculi and renal trauma to prostate cancer. Prof. Marshall Stoller from USA shared with us his experiences in percutaneous nephrolithotomy, which has revolutionized the ability of the urologist to remove large burdens of renal stones over the last 15 years. Also speaking at the meeting was Prof. Tom Chi from USA, who gave a speech about the epidemiology, management and the American Urological Association (AUA) Guidelines of renal traumas.
Testosterone replacement therapy is one of the focuses of this meeting. Prof. Larry Goldenberg from Canada highlighted several key messages on the issue of intermittent androgen suppression (IAS) therapy on prostate cancer (PCa). He first reviewed the controversy over timing of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and rationale of IAS, assessed the recent randomized controlled trials (RCT) examining outcomes of IAS and then summarized the status of IAS in urologic oncology practice. Prof. Yuanjie Niu from China introduced the combined therapy of ADT with anti-CD44 may become a new potential therapeutic approach to battle later stage PCa. Prof. Arthur L. Burnett from USA introduced the novel approaches for testosterone replacement therapy including several testosterone preparations and other off-label mode such as selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) (clomiphene citrate, enclomiphene), aromatase inhibitors, dihydrotestosterone and human chorionic gonadotropin. Prof. Mohit Khera noted the controversies surrounding the usage of testosterone. The understanding of the reasonable use of testosterones has rapidly expanded over this past decade. This paradigm change has also contributed to the explosive growth of the testosterone market worldwide.
Laparoscopic surgery has been utilized widely for its minimal invasiveness. Prof. Nianzeng Xing from China first gave an excellent talk about pure laparoscopic radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder construction. Prof. Chao-Zhao Liang from China shared the experience of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy which is a safe and effective treatment for localized PCa. Prof. Ye Tian from China then gave a talk about technique improvement in laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy. Prof. Shujie Xia from China spoke on the thulium laser resection of the prostate (TmLRP). He showed the data about the effect of this technique and garnered positive responses from many expects. TmLRP is an efficient and durable treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients with a low complication rate. Prof. Chao-Zhao Liang from China introduced the valuable experience about laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) for the localized PCa over the years. Prof. Zhiming Bai from China in his lecture on three dimensional (3D) imaging technology, concluded that this technology could provide an innovative visual experience, and will create a promising prospect in the preciseness of surgical operation as more experiences accumulated in the future. Prof. Shigeo Horie from Japan demonstrated the new 3D imaging surgeon innovations of robotic surgery for the reconstruction for robotic renal surgery by using the vivid surgical video.
Experiences and operation tricks were shared by some experts in this meeting. Prof. Run Wang from USA demonstrated a novel UroLift System, which was a newly approved technology by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), could be used for the treatment of BPH without sexual side effect. Prof. Yinghao Sun from China introduced the advance of PCa biomarkers in recent years. He concluded that the establishment of China PCa score according to multiple diagnosis biomarkers will greatly help people to get better prevention and treatment. Prof. Liqun Zhou from China gave us a talk about the unique characteristics of upper tract urothelial carcinoma for Chinese. From 2011, more than 10 consecutive studies for patients [892] pathologically diagnosed upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) have been carried out in his team and a series of articles were published based on the clinical data. Prof. Thomas Chi from USA mainly centered around the indications for ureteroscopy and how to perform cases most effectively in different clinical situations.
There are several talks focusing on andrology. The president of the meeting, Prof. Tom F. Lue, in his State-of-the-Art Lecture, gave us the recent advance about the treatment of ischemic priapism (IP). He noted that in the past 50 years, many methods were reported by creating shunt between the corpus cavernosum (CC) and corpus spongiosum (CS) at the glans penis, the CS and the dorsal vein. However, the early high recurrence rate remains with severe penile fibrosis and erectile dysfunction. Such a shunting surgery for prolonged IP: a 50-year mistake? He proposed that creating shunt between the CC and CS at the glans penis plus CC tunneling is the ideal method for prolonged IP. Prof. Jun Kyu Suh from Korea discovered that nerve injury-induced protein 1 (Ninj1) pathway played an important role in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice model. His group found that inhibition of the Ninj1 pathway by administering Ninj1-neutralizing antibody (Ninj1-Ab) or by using Ninj1-knockout mice successfully restored erectile function through enhanced penile angiogenesis and neural regeneration and this result suggest inhibition of the Ninj1 pathway may be a novel therapeutic strategy for treating erectile dysfunction (ED) in the future. Stem cells treatment is more and more being paid attention by basic and clinical researches. Prof. Ching-Shwun Lin from USA presented updates on stem cell therapy in urology. He also reported about promising kidney stem cells transplantation and stem cell treatment on urinary incontinence. Prof. Zhongcheng Xin from China introduced and emphasized the therapeutic effect of incariside II (ICA II) in the treatment of ED in a rat model of bilateral cavernous nerves (CN) injury, and found that ICA II activation of CC endogenous somatic stem cells (SSCs) by ICA II might help conservation intrinsic healing capacity of a healthy organism as well as rejuvenation of damaged erectile function. Along with lectures on andrology were presentations on female urology such as prolapse and incontinence. Prof. Donna Deng from USA introduced the development of female urology and also discussed the transvaginal and trans-abdominal methods of repairing pelvic prolapse given the complications from mesh.
Podium lectures
There were also new and intriguing studies on APSMHA, male infertility, female infertility, testosterone replacement therapy, new technology on genitourinary diseases, basic science, prostate disease, kidney and ureter disease, bladder function and urethra, endourology and so on. Ninety-six experts showed their best knowledge in their research filed. Some representative topics were concentrated on: management of ureteral stricture disease, the analysis of tumor after allograft renal transplantation in Chinese, three ports laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, sexual side effects of medical treatment of BPH, low-energy shock wave therapy (LESWT) on ED, update in the treatment of Peyronie's disease, clinical analysis of effect of sex chromosome on male fertility, women’s sexual health and fertility, urinary issues of Parkinson’s disease in a PINK-/- KO rats, as well as the research and clinical application of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene in renal cancer, sexual health contribution to longevity.
Free paper presentation
A total of 23 young scholars had free paper presentations on urology, andrology, reproductive medicine, gerontology and nursing in this meeting. Among all submitted papers, organization committee selected five excellent as following: (I) the varicocele anatomy during subinguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy in Chinese men; (II) therapeutic potential of adipose-derived stem cells based micro-tissues in a rat model of post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction; (III) age-breaker alt-711 plus insulin could restore erectile function in streptozocin-induced type-1 diabetic rats; (IV) deficient human β-defensin 1 underlies male infertility associated with poor sperm motility and genital tract infection; and (V) coordination and nursing of vaso-epididymostomy under microscope.
Overall, this meeting was very balanced, informative and thought provoking. A number of key issues and strategic research initiatives in the field of urology and andrology were presented and discussed. This meeting will be another milestone in the APSMHA tradition.
The 8th Asian-Pacific Society of Men’s Health and Anti-aging Meeting (APSSMHA2016) will be organized in Mongolia and the 15th Asian-Pacific Society for Sexual Medicine (APSSM2015) together with the 2nd Annual Meeting of GUA-CPAM2015 will be held in September 11-13, 2015 in Beijing, China and the 7th Great Wall Translational Andrology and Urology Forum (GTAUF2016) will be held in Tianjin, China in 2016. We look forward to greeting you at both of the coming meetings!
Acknowledgements
None.
Footnote
Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
