[The incidences of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic cancer in China]

Step-sections of 321 prostatic specimens from unselected autopsies were examined in order to understand the incidences of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatic cancer (CaP) in China. The results showed that the incidence of BPH in patients of 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, and 81-90 years old was 20%, 50%, 57.1% and 33.3% respectively. The incidence of latent CaP in the above-mentioned age series, including 60 prostatic specimens from cystoprostatectomies was 9.3%, 5.7%, 26.9% and 16.7% respectively. The Incidence of CaP in BPH surgical specimens was 33/676 (4.9%). The histological incidences of BPH and CaP in China were similar to or half of that of western world. But the epidemiological incidence of CaP in China was only 1/20-1/30. Further investigation about this condition is necessary.