Research Progress on Environmental Endocrine Disruptors and Prostate Diseases

Prostate diseases are common diseases of male urogenital system, such as benign prostate hyperplasia or prostate cancer, especially in middle-aged men. Because prostate is a sex hormone dependent organ, its growth, differentiation, and other processes require sex hormone involved regulation. Currently, a variety of endocrine disruptors in the environment are shown to interfere with the synthesis, release, combination, and metabolism of normal hormones in human bodies, and thus affect homeostasis, reproduction, growth, and behavior. Studies have also shown that some certain environmental endocrine disruptors may influence the occurrence and development of prostate diseases. Several common environmental endocrine disruptors affecting the prostate diseases were reviewed in this article. It is increasingly necessary to collect related data in population and strengthen epidemiological studies to understand the pathogenesis and ascertain the relationship between endocrine disruptors and prostate diseases.