Selective estrogen receptor modulators for BPH: new factors on the ground.

As the current management of BPH/lower urinary tract symptoms by traditionally involved pharmacological agents such as 5alpha-reductase inhibitors and α1-adrenoceptor antagonists is suboptimal, there is definite need of new therapeutic strategies. There is ample evidence in literature that suggests the role of estrogens in BPH development and management through the different tissue and cell-specific receptors. This article reviews the beneficial actions of selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) and ERβ-selective ligands, which have been demonstrated through in vitro studies using human prostate cell lines and in vivo animal studies. SERMs have anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic mechanisms in BPH, and also act by inhibiting various growth factors, and thus represent a unique and novel approach in BPH management directed at estrogen receptors or estrogen metabolism.