Pathology and Medical Therapy of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a progressive condition characterised by prostate enlargement accompanied by lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). It contributes to, but is not the sole cause of LUTS. It is well known that BPH and the resultant LUTS is very common in elderly men and has a great impact on the patients’ quality of life. It was estimated that in the male population, a histological prevalence at autopsy of 50% in men aged 50-60 years and of 90% over 80 years was seen. 75% of men > 50 years old had symptoms arising from BPH, and 20-30% of men reaching 80 years old required surgery. Despite the fact that BPH is one of the commonest diseases that are managed by urologists and it has a big impact on public health, the aetiology and pathophysiology are still not yet clear.