The Prostate as an Endocrine Organ: Its Modulation of Serum Testosterone.

Aside from nonmelanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States, and benign prostatic hyperplasia is the most common benign tumor found in men. Until recently, its endocrine functions and possible influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis have been relatively understudied. This review summarizes the current understanding of the potential endocrine functions of prostate cancer and benign prostate tissue.