Genitourinary microbiome and volatilome. A pilot study in patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma submitted to radical prostatectomy

Prostate cancer may be influenced not only by genetics and hormones but also by the microorganisms and metabolic substances present in the prostate and in urine. Understanding how these elements interact could help researchers better describe the biological environment associated with this disease. In this study, we examined prostate tissue and urine from men with prostate cancer and compared them with samples from men with non-cancerous prostate enlargement. We looked for viruses, analyzed bacterial communities, and studied the volatile molecules released in urine. While prostate tissue showed no major differences between diseased and non-diseased areas, urine samples from patients displayed greater microbial diversity and distinct metabolic patterns. These results offer early insights into how microbes and metabolism may be linked to prostate cancer and provide a basis for future research.