[GnRH antagonists and benign prostatic hyperplasia]

Early treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) helps to decrease the need for surgery and thus places the medical treatment at the forefront which implies, optimising its efficacy and tolerance. Alpha-blockers and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors are the two main classes of currently used drugs. The role in the growth of glandular, muscular and fibroblastic tissues of the prostate of androgens, testosterone and especially intraprostatic dihydrotestosterone was properly established. These physiopathological data prompted to evaluate the efficacy of inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, by means of LH-RH analogues. The agonists lead to a biological castration associated with a significant improvement of BPH symptoms. Unfortunately clinical relapse is systematic when treatment is discontinued. The antagonists, particulary cetrorelix, improve BPH symptoms, with a persistant benefit after treatment, discontinuation, although the effect on the prostate volume reduction is transitory. It can be suggested that beside the well known hormonal action, there is a direct apoptic effect cells as well as inhibition of the intratissue growth factors. The LH-RH antagonists could thus become an alternative to the current drugs by offering a relatively short treatment with a prolonged benefit.