Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

Definition

Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) or “enlarged prostate” is a condition that can cause many of the same symptoms as prostate cancer. BPH is a noncancerous increase in the size and number of cells that make up the prostate. BPH is almost always found in older men. Since women do not have a prostate, they cannot get BPH. Young men almost never experience symptoms of an enlarged prostate either. The prostate enlarges over the course of many years of exposure to male hormones, and young men typically have not had enough years of exposure for symptoms to show up. During puberty, the prostate goes through a phase of very rapid enlargement, but these levels off once puberty is completed. Starting in midlife, the prostate begins growing again but very slowly this time. It is thought that these periods of growth result from increased levels of male hormones such as testosterone. Testosterone is produced throughout a man’s life and, subsequently, the prostate grows throughout a man’s...