Anatomical Changes of the Peripheral Zone Depending on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Size and Their Potential Clinical...

The inverse relationship between benign prostate hypertrophy and incidence/severity of prostate cancer is well documented in the clinical literature. However, this phenomenon is not well understood. The purpose of this review is to offer an update in the evolving hypothesis of how benign prostate hypertrophy may be protective in prostate cancer.

A literature search was conducted on PubMed limited to articles published within the past 10 years with the search criteria of "interaction" AND "benign prostate hypertrophy" AND "prostate cancer" as well as the key words of this paper.

Nine articles from the literature search met inclusion criteria. The articles analyze the prostate on parameters of peripheral zone volume, glandular tissue density and prostate capsule thickness. All 9 articles described peripheral zone atrophy and transition zone hypertrophy in benign prostate hypertrophy patients.

As the transition zone grows in benign prostate hypertrophy, volume and glandular density of the peripheral zone as well as the prostate capsule undergo significant changes. The disease processes outlined in this review support the hypothesis that the growing transition zone compresses the peripheral zone against the prostatic capsule causing secondary atrophy, apoptosis, and necrosis of the peripheral zone's glandular tissue. If this hypertrophy-induced disease process of glandular tissue atrophy within the peripheral zone is confirmed in future studies, it will have relevant clinical implications on the diagnosis and treatment of benign prostate hypertrophy and prostate cancer.