Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Caused by growth of the prostate from about age 40 to death.

Affects 50% of men > 50 years old; affects 95% of men > 70 years old.

BUT, clinical symptoms due to obstruction of the urethra are present in only 5-10% of men with BPH.

Not cancer.

BPH tissue resembles normal prostate tissue with increased amounts of smooth muscle, glandular, and/or stromal components.

An enlarged prostate can strangle the urethra.

Previous slide Next slide Back to first slide View graphic version

Notes:

BPH arises almost exclusively in the transitional and periurethral zones of the gland.

Stromal proliferation usually predominates in BPH.

I once viewed a prosected cadaver with a prostate that had grown into the bladder.

Remember: The term ìhypertrophyî usually refers to an increase in the size of cells. ìHyperplasiaî refers to an increase in the number of cells. Thus, in the case of the prostate, while the entire gland might hypertrophy, or get larger, the cells themselves are not larger, but simply more numerous. You will see BPH called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Hypertrophy.