"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
not 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. As many as 50% of men
in their 60s and 90% of men in their 80s are diagnosed
with BPH. 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.
Enlarged Prostate
Three elements are associated with BPH: prostatic
enlargement (the enlarged prostate), urinary obstruction,
and the development of symptoms. Prostatic enlargement
due to BPH is a non-cancerous condition that can
be a natural consequence of aging. As the prostate
enlarges, the tube that carries urine that passes
through the prostate may become partially or completely
pinched off.
Obstruction
Prostate-related obstruction occurs when the
passageway between the urinary bladder and the
penis is reduced in diameter. This tube-like passageway,
called the urethra, can become partially or even
completely obstructed when the prostate enlarges
due to BPH.
Some men experience bothersome symptoms when
the urethra is partially obstructed, while others
od not.
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