The International Cystitis Network has developed an app for iPhones and iPads that gives patients with overactive bladders the confidence to select foods and drinks that should not aggravate their condition. It contains a list of more than 250 items divided into three categories: bladder friendly foods, foods worth trying cautiously, and foods to avoid. Users will also find highlighted foods and beverages that will be soothing to them during interstitial cystitis flare-ups. There are even recommendations for lower acid wines, pale ale beers and mixed drink mixers. The app can be purchased for 99 cents and downloaded from Apple’s App store.

A recently updated Cochraine review published in BJU Int (2012) concludes that extracts of the fruit of Seronoa repens (otherwise known as the American saw palmetto) does not improve the urinary symptoms associated with benign prostatic enlargement compared to placebo (sham treatment). The reviewers studied 17 randomised controlled published studies to reach this conclusion.

In a large study of men following radical prostatectomy for pT3 prostate cancer published in Eur Urol (2012) Briganti et al investigated whether radiotherapy was best given early (adjuvant) or delayed (salvage) until PSA started to rise (but was still below 0.51). 500 men were observed and 390 treated immediately. At 2 and 5 years there was no difference in PSA relapse (PSA >0.2). They concluded that it was safe to withhold radiotherapy until relapse, rather than treating all patients based on the risk that they may recur. This approach avoided treating 55% of patients that they monitored, thus avoiding the risks of overtreatment, without compromising cancer cure.