Understanding the Complexity of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Insights into Causes, Pathways, and Therapeutic Targets

A non-cancerous swelling of the prostate gland called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) tends to happen mostly to men aged 40 and older. Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common, involving problems with emptying the bladder and storage and may lead to issues such as hydronephrosis, dysfunction in reproduction and infertility in men. BPH happens more often in older people and can also be made worse by diseases such as diabetes, being overweight, lack of exercise, high cholesterol and drinking alcohol. It puts a strong pressure on healthcare services everywhere and also reduces the well-being and life quality of those affected. Surgical methods and drugs such as Finasteride can be beneficial but cause problems, mainly concerning sexual and reproductive health. It reviews the present knowledge about causes, risk factors and development of BPH, focusing particularly on influences from molecules, hormones, genes, lifestyle and the environment. It also examines new ways to study BPH, looks for biomarkers and tests new treatment approaches, with the aim of understanding BPH better and guiding development of effective treatments. All in all, the goal of this review is to support better clinical outcomes through better ways of diagnosing and managing BPH.