Benign prostate enlargement (BPE) is the medical term for describing an enlarged prostate, a condition that can affect the way you urinate (urinate). BPE is common in men over 50 years of age. It's not a cancer and usually doesn't pose a serious health threat. No, having an enlarged prostate does not increase the risk of developing prostate cancer.
The two problems usually start in different parts of the prostate. However, men can have an enlarged prostate and prostate cancer at the same time. The size of the prostate doesn't necessarily determine the severity of symptoms. Some men with only slightly enlarged prostates may have significant symptoms, while other men with very enlarged prostates may have only minor urinary symptoms.
Some studies show that obese men and those with diabetes may be more likely to develop an enlarged prostate. The severity of symptoms in people with an enlarged prostate varies, but symptoms tend to worsen gradually over time. For the study, Nandalur's team collected data on 405 men with BPH and looked for evidence of prostate cancer on MRIs of prostate tissue. However, we still need more studies on the causes of prostate enlargement to know for sure if and how we can prevent it.
In many men, this continuous growth enlarges the prostate enough to cause urinary symptoms or significantly block urine flow. This means that, if other factors unrelated to prostate cancer are eliminated, about 100 percent of men who are diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer are still living five years after treatment. The researchers found that as the size of the prostate increased, the risk of prostate cancer decreased. Surprisingly, as the prostate continues to enlarge, the chances of developing prostate cancer decrease, Nandalur explained.
The condition, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), may actually provide some protection for men against developing prostate cancer, the researchers report. An enlarged prostate can cause uncomfortable urinary symptoms, such as blocking the flow of urine out of the bladder. There is also some research that suggests that you may be at greater risk of developing an enlarged prostate if your father or brother has one. This is because the central part of the prostate gets larger and may prevent urine from leaving the bladder.
You may not have all of these symptoms, and some men with an enlarged prostate don't have any symptoms at all.
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