Prostate gland enlargement

Prostate gland enlargement affects about half of men in their 60s and up to 90 percent of men in their 70s and 80s. The presence or absence of prostate gland enlargement is not related to the development of prostate cancer.

Treatment of prostate gland enlargement depends on your signs and symptoms and may include medications such as Finasteride, surgery or nonsurgical therapies.

Finasteride - Prostate treatment and cancer prevention

Prostate gland enlargement (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or BPH), is directly dependent on DHT (a hormone converted from the male hormone testosterone). Finasteride inhibits the enzyme necessary for the conversion of testosterone to DHT in the prostate. Therefore, administration of finasteride lowers blood and tissue DHT levels and helps reduce the size of the prostate gland.

Although reductions in the size of the prostate gland can occur in virtually all the patients who take finasteride, only 50% will experience improvement in the symptoms of BPH. Patients generally respond to finasteride in several weeks, but it often takes 6 months for the patient to receive the full effect of the drug.

Proscar (finasteride 5mg), traditionally prescribed to treat prostate enlargement, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), reduced overall rates of prostate cancer by 25 percent in the 18,000-man Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT).

Oral finasteride is available in 5mg dosage under the brand name Proscar (for treatment of benign prostate enlargement) or in 1mg dosage under the brand name Propecia (for the treatment of male pattern hair loss). Finasteride 5mg is widely prescribed for its approved use in treating benign prostate enlargement. Lower-dose finasteride 1 mg, widely prescribed to treat hair loss due to androgenetic alopecia.