Enlarged Prostate
Alternate Names : Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (Hyperplasia), BPH, Prostate - Enlarged
Definition
The prostate gland produces the liquid in which sperm are expelled from the penis during ejaculation. As the prostate enlarges, which happens to almost all men as they get older, it can press on the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the bladder to the outside) causing problems with urination.
Prostate enlargement is often called benign prostatic hypertrophy or hyperplasia (BPH). It is not cancer and it does not put you at increased risk for prostate cancer.
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Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
The actual cause of prostate enlargement is unknown. In addition to age, overgrowth of the prostate seems to require normal function of the testicles, which produce testosterone. This is known because men who have had their testicles removed at a young age (for example, for testicular cancer) do not develop BPH. Similarly, if the testicles are removed after a man develops BPH, the prostate begins to shrink in size.
The likelihood of developing an enlarged prostate increases with age. In fact, BPH is so common that it has been said, "All men will have an enlarged prostate if they live long enough!" A small amount of prostate enlargement is present in many men over age 40 and more than 90% of men over age 80. No risk factors have been identified other than having normally functioning testicles.
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