Role of growth factors in benign prostatic hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition among older men. Although surgery is the most effective treatment for patients with severe symptoms of bladder outlet obstruction, many patients with less severe symptoms will benefit from pharmacological intervention. Traditional medical therapies have involved hormonal manipulation. However, evidence has now emerged that prostate growth is under the immediate control of specific growth factors and only indirectly modulated by steroids. In this review we present a hypothesis of the mechanism of action of these growth factors in the developmental of BPH. Many of the more bothersome symptoms of BPH are not directly caused by the outlet obstruction, but only the resulting bladder hypertrophy. The development of the rabbit model of partial bladder outlet obstruction has allowed investigation of the bladder changes likely to occur in BPH. These studies have revealed the important role of growth factors in the development of bladder hypertrophy. Therefore, targeting growth factors potentially represents a direct therapeutic approach to the regulation of abnormal enlargement of the prostate and the amelioration of other symptoms associated with BPH.