11.   Ralph Valle, of Phoenix, Ariz., opted for surgical castration, known as an orchiectomy, after the cancer spread.

12.   Researchers found that Nilandron, when started the day of surgery or the day after surgery, reduced bone pain among surgical castration patients.

13.   Surgical castrations are rare in America, with the average urologist doing at most one a month, nearly all on patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

14.   Surgical castration, of course, is permanent.

15.   Surgical castration involves the relatively simple removal of both testicles, done under local or general anesthetic.

16.   The drug, called Nilandron or nilutamide, is approved for use with surgical castration.

17.   The main reason for surgical castration is to treat prostate cancer that is spreading.

18.   The law that emerged was a compromise to a proposal that would have mandated surgical castration for some sex offenders.

19.   The Texas Senate without debate Tuesday approved a bill to legalize the voluntary surgical castration of repeat child molesters.

20.   The Texas legislature approved a measure this year that mandates surgical castration for child molesters who think they might offend again.