Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition in which your prostate grows in size.

Your prostate is a gland that rests below your bladder and in front of your rectum. It’s about the size of a walnut, and it surrounds part of your urethra.

Your urethra is a tube that carries urine (pee) and sperm (ejaculate) out of your body.

If your prostate grows in size, it can prevent pee and ejaculate from passing through your urethra.

BPH isn’t cancerous. However, symptoms of BPH may indicate more serious conditions, including prostate cancer.

Does having benign prostatic hyperplasia increase the risk of prostate cancer?

Research shows that having BPH doesn’t increase your risk of developing prostate cancer. However, BPH and prostate cancer have similar symptoms. If you have BPH, you may have undetected prostate cancer at the same time.

To help detect prostate cancer in its early stages, every person with a prostate should get a prostate screening every year between the ages of 55 and 69. You have an increased risk of getting prostate cancer if you’re Black or have a family history of prostate cancer. If you have an increased risk of prostate cancer, you should start getting prostate screenings at age 40.

Who does benign prostatic hyperplasia affect?

BPH is the most common prostate problem in people assigned male at birth (AMAB). Almost all people with a prostate will develop some enlargement in their prostates as they grow older.

How common is benign prostatic hyperplasia?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is common.

By age 60, about 50% of people with a prostate will have some signs of BPH. By age 85, about 90% will have signs of the condition.

About half of all people with BPH will develop symptoms that require treatment.