What is BPH?

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    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in the male reproductive system that sits just below the bladder and surrounds the upper part of the urethra (i.e., the tube that carries urine from the bladder) and makes fluid that is part of semen. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition in which the prostate gland is enlarged and not cancerous.[1] BPH commonly affects older men; it’s estimated that about 50% of men > 50 years of age have evidence of BPH, and the prevalence of BPH increases further with advancing age.[2]

    References

    1. ^National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney DiseasesProstate Enlargement (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia(2014-09)
    2. ^Chughtai B, Forde JC, Thomas DD, Laor L, Hossack T, Woo HH, Te AE, Kaplan SABenign prostatic hyperplasia.Nat Rev Dis Primers.(2016-05-05)