Does the prostatic vascular system contribute to the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a disease condition characterized by abnormal prostate growth in conjunction with distinct lower urinary tract symptoms. This paper considers the extent to which the prostatic vascular system contributes to normal prostate growth control as well as whether abnormal blood flow patterns in the aging prostate gland might lead to hypoxia-stimulated prostate growth. This relationship is posited from accumulated research that suggests the prostatic vascular system is a primary androgen action target and other research demonstrating the diverse effects of hypoxia in eliciting cell death or cell growth responses. This hypothesis is further supported by the coincidental clinical finding that the presence of cardiovascular disease conditions are among the general risk factors for the development of BPH, and that cardiovascular-active drugs can be used for the treatment of BPH symptoms. This hypothesis has major implications for our understanding of the etiology of BPH, as well as for the development of new and better treatments for this extremely common condition.