Disease | Prostate

Disease

Ashley Davidoff MD

Introduction

The most common diseases that affect the prostate are benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and prostate carcinoma. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer death in men second to lung cancer. Prostate hyperplasia is an aging phenomenon that can give rise to significant morbidity in the aging male. Prostatitis and prostatic abscess are two other relativley common diseases.

Zonal Anatomy and Predilections For Carcinoma and BPH

The diagram depicts the zonal morphology relevant to the locations where disease arises. The normal gland is seen in image (a). The prostate gland can be viewed as having 4 major zones. The outer zone is called the peripheral zone, accounts for 70% of the parenchyma. Inward of the peripheral zone is the central zone that accounts for 25% of the parenchyma. The periurethral zone is called the transitional zone and fibromuscular zone (anterior layer) account for the remaining 5% of parenchyma. Image (b) shows BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy) which is caused by hyperplasia and enlargement of the transitional zone. Image (c) shows carcinoma (bright lime green) arising from the peripheral zone which is the characteristic site of origin of this disease. Image (d) shows a combination of BPH in the transitional zone and carcinoma in the peripheral zone. This is a common combination of diseases in the elderly population.