BPH vs Prostate Cancer: Difference and Comparison

Some diseases are exclusive to men and women. It refers to a specific gender; either a man or a woman can be affected.

Turner syndrome and Rett syndrome, for example, are rare disorders that only affect women. As a result, several of the illnesses affect just men.

BPH and prostate cancer are disorders that only affect men. BPH (Benign prostatic hyperplasia) is not a type of cancer like prostate cancer.

Both, however, are prostate gland diseases, which is part of the male reproductive system. The former is frequent and non-fatal, whereas prostate cancer when advanced, can be dangerous.

Key Takeaways

1. BPH, or benign prostatic hyperplasia, is a non-cancerous prostate gland enlargement that can cause urinary issues in men.
2. Prostate cancer is a malignant gland growth that can spread to other body parts if not treated early.
3. Both conditions affect the prostate, but BPH is a common age-related condition, while prostate cancer is a potentially life-threatening disease.

BPH vs Prostate Cancer

The difference between BPH and prostate cancer is that BPH is not classified as cancer, whereas prostate cancer is one of the types of cancer in which damaged cells multiply in the male prostate gland. Unlike prostate cancer, BPH disorder is not fatal and not rare. Moreover, BPH does not affect the bones of males, which can be cracked or weakened by cancer.

BPH is an abbreviation for benign prostatic hyperplasia. It is a non-dangerous prostate enlargement illness that affects only men. ]

This condition is not the same as cancer which means no damaged cells in the body multiply. Moreover, this is a condition that affects eight out of ten elderly individuals.

Prostate cancer is a disease that affects the prostate gland, which is below the bladder in men. Though the tumour develops slowly, this disease is deadly in men.

It can affect other body regions, such as lymph and bones. It exhibits the same warning symptoms as BPH.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	BPH	Prostate Cancer
Type of Disorder	BPH is a common and non-fatal condition that affects men over the age of 40.	Prostate cancer is a fatal disease that affects males.
Cancer Cells	Cancer cells are not there under BPH.	In prostate cancer, damaged cells known as cancer cells are present.
Affected Area	The core portion of the prostate gland is impacted.	It affects the sides of the prostate gland.
Level of Alkaline Phosphatase	The amount of alkaline phosphatase in the bloodstream does not rise over time due to BPH.	In this situation, the level of alkaline phosphatase in the blood rises, causing more problems.
Treatment	Alpha-blockers is a treatment discovered by medical science.	Different therapies and surgeries are being recommended depending upon the seriousness of cancer.

What is BPH?

BPH stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is a disorder that affects only men.

The phrase benign refers to a condition that is not harmful, while hyperplasia refers to the expansion of a body organ due to increased reproduction.

As a result, this non-dangerous type of organ enlargement sickness can be distinguished by its name.

BPH symptoms include difficulty peeing because of lacking control, renal problems, and, in a few cases, the formation of stones in the urinary bladder.

Although the exact cause of BPH in the prostate gland is undisclosed, the disorder causes the prostate gland to enlarge more than usual.

Men who are above the age of 50 and have diabetes or obesity are more likely to develop this condition.

It is a global problem that affects approximately half of all guys on the planet. Despite this, it cannot cause prostate cancer but can induce other diseases.

Medical medicines that can exacerbate the risk of BPH in men must be avoided.

Apart from this, men should intake lesser protein if they are victims of BPH. It can be diagnosed by common tests like urine and blood accompanied by rectal exams done digitally.

In rare conditions to measure prostate gland size, transrectal ultrasound is an option.

What is Prostate Cancer?

The prostate is a gland carrying and nourishing male sperm that are responsible for reproduction. The size of this gland increases with the increase of the age of males.

Prostate cancer is clear from its name that it’s a cancer tumour in the prostate gland below the bladder in males.

Although cancer cells spread at a steady rate, they attack the bones too. Therefore, it can be fatal and even lead to the weakening and cracking of bones. No symptoms are detected at an earlier stage of prostate cancer.

Like BPH, persons who are elderly, have a family history or intake high protein by eating a lot of red meat are more likely to develop this cancer.

This cell contains harmful genes such as BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, which are associated with breast cancer.

In later stages of cancer, men can suffer bleeding in their sperm and urine. They even can face the problems like erectile dysfunction and trouble while urinating.

Furthermore, weight loss can be a minor symptom of prostate cancer. As a precaution, men over the age of 50 should consume a special diet enriched in fibre and low in protein.

Main Differences Between BPH and Prostate Cancer

1. BPH stands for benign prostate hyperplasia, which is not a malignancy. But prostate cancer, as the name suggests, is a cancer of the prostate gland present in men’s bodies.
2. Since BPH is such a prevalent condition, it is not harmful to those who suffer from it. On the contrary, because the breast cancer-causing BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutant genes are present in prostate cancer, prostate cancer might be lethal.
3. A man’s prostate is extended from the centre if he has benign prostate hyperplasia. Prostate cancer causes side enlargement of the glands.
4. The body’s alkaline phosphate level is unaffected by the BPH disease. Prostate cancer, on the other hand, causes it to rise in the blood.
5. The treatment suggested for BPH is alpha-blockers, and for prostate cancer, different surgeries depend on the level of cancer.

References

1. https://www.nature.com/articles/nrurol.2012.192
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3989826/

Last Updated : 14 June, 2023