What causes enlarged prostate besides cancer?

The actual cause of prostate enlargement is unknown. Factors related to aging and changes in testicular cells can influence gland growth, as well as testosterone levels. Men who had their testicles removed at a young age (for example, as a result of testicular cancer) don't develop BPH. Although it shares many of the same symptoms as prostate cancer, prostatitis is a non-cancerous condition.

Prostatitis occurs when the prostate becomes inflamed, swollen, and tender, often due to a bacterial infection. There are a variety of prostatitis conditions, including acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, and chronic prostatitis.

Prostate enlargement is

often referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It is not cancer and does not increase the risk of prostate cancer.

BPH stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Benign means it's not cancer and hyperplasia means abnormal cell growth. The result is that the prostate gets larger. BPH is not related to cancer and does not increase the risk of developing prostate cancer; however, the symptoms of BPH and prostate cancer may be similar.

They can range from mild and barely noticeable to severe, but the degree of prostate enlargement is not directly related to the severity of the symptoms. Studies have shown that 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, finasteride and dutasteride, can reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer, but it's not yet clear if they can reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer. Doctors still don't know if screening for prostate cancer reduces the risk of dying from prostate cancer. There is also evidence that these drugs reduce the risk of prostate cancer, but it is not yet clear if they can help reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer.

If symptoms or test results suggest prostate cancer, your doctor will refer you to a specialist (a urologist) for a prostate biopsy. Researchers are working to learn more about the ability of the PSA test to help doctors differentiate between prostate cancer and benign prostate problems, and what is the best thing they can do if a man has a high PSA level. On the right, urine flow is affected because an enlarged prostate puts pressure on the bladder and urethra.