Objective：To explore the expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide（VIP） and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） in ex－pressed prostatic secretions（EPS） of patients with type Ⅲ prostatitis and to discuss the value of VIP and TNF-α in the diagnosis and treatment of type Ⅲ prostatitis. Methods：Sixty-nine patients with type Ⅲ prostatitis were investigated including 37 cases of type Ⅲa and 32 cases of type Ⅲb. Levels of VIP and TNF-α were measured by ELISA. Results：Contents of VIP in EPS were significantly higher in type Ⅲa and type Ⅲb groups（Ⅲa group：（51.33±10.63） pg/ml；Ⅲb group：（47.45±7.55） pg/ml） than in control group（（25.95±4.74） pg/ml）. Contents of TNF-α were significantly higher in type Ⅲa group（（76.08±15.44） pg/ml） than in type Ⅲb group（（27.85±6.43） pg/ml） and control group（（10.30±3.62） pg/ml）；significantly higher in Ⅲb group than in control group with statis－tical differences（P=0.0０0）. Contents of VIP were positively related with NIH-chronic prostatitis symptom index（r=0.711，P=0.000） and international prostate symptom score（r=0.428，P=0.000）. Conclusions：Contents of VIP and TNF-α are significantly higher in type Ⅲ prostatitis groups than in control group. Differences are existed in TNF-α contents between type Ⅲa group and type Ⅲb. Detection of VIP and TNF-α may provide valuable indicators in the diagnosis and treatment of type Ⅲ prostatitis.