Autoimmune phenomena following prostatectomy

Benign prostatic hypertrophy is the most common benign tumor in males, resulting in prostatectomy in 20-30% of men who live to the age of 80. There are no data on the association of prostatectomy with autoimmune phenomena in the English-language medical literature.

To report our experience with three patients who developed autoimmune disease following prostatectomy.

Three patients presented awith autoimmune phenomenon soon after a prostectomy for BPH or prostatic carcinoma: one had clinically diagnosed temporal arteritis, one had leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and the third patient developed sensory Guillian-Barré syndrome following prostatectomy.

In view of the temporal association between the removal of the prostate gland andthe autoimmune process, combined with previously known immunohistologic features of BPH, a cause-effect relationship probably exists.