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What
is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?
"BPH"
stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The term
"hyperplasia" means an increase in size due to an
increase in the number of cells. "Benign" refers
to the fact that these cells are not cancerous.
Therefore, "benign prostatic hyperplasia" simply
means that the prostate has grown larger without
becoming cancerous. BPH is not a cancerous condition
and it does not cause cancer.BPH is a normal facet
of aging that occurs commonly in men over the
age of 50. No one knows exactly what causes BPH,
but it appears to be related to changes in the
body's hormonal balance that occur with aging.
After the age of 60, more than half of all men
has BPH. By age 80, roughly 8 out of 10 men have
the condition.However, just because you have BPH
doesn't mean you need treatment. Many men with
BPH have few, if any, urinary problems. You should
see your doctor periodically in order to monitor
the progression of your BPH. If problems with
urination do arise, you want to be ready to deal
with them. Fortunately, effective treatment is
available if you need it.
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