Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
(noncancerous enlargement of the prostate)

Related Information • Is It Prostate Cancer? • Understanding the Cancer Process • Stages of Prostate Cancer • Noncancerous Prostate Disorders • Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Symptoms may include:

• a weak urinary stream
• a sense of incomplete bladder emptying
• difficulty starting urination
• frequent urination
• urgency (difficulty postponing urination)
• awakening frequently at night to urinate
• interruption of the stream of urination

If left untreated BPH can lead to repeated urinary tract infections, sudden inability to urinate at all and possibly bladder or kidney damage.

Treatment Options

• oral medications that either relax the muscle tissue in the prostate or partially shrink the enlarged prostate by lowering hormone levels
• minimally invasive therapies that use either heat or microwaves to destroy prostate tissue; surgery to remove portions of the prostate tissue