benign prostatic hyperplasia

5.2

An enlargement of the prostate gland that is not cancer and often makes it hard to pee

noun
/bɪˈnaɪn prɒˈstætɪk haɪpərˈpleɪziə/

Specialized

: hiperplasia prostática benigna

Regular check-ups are important for diagnosing benign prostatic hyperplasia early, especially in those over 50.
benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

Examples

Also, saw Palmetto has been demonstrated to show treatment in small studies for benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is also called BPH.
For example, the Urology Decision Making project has been piloting the provision of a DVD and other materials to people with either low-grade cancer of the prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Academic text (2012)
Many older men experience symptoms related to benign prostatic hyperplasia, making it a common health concern.
As men age, they often find that benign prostatic hyperplasia leads to difficulties with urination.

Synonyms

BPH

vsbenign prostatic hyperplasia

Specialized

1 7.5

An enlarged prostate in older men that can make it hard to pass urine

is the longer medical name rather than the short form

Surface Forms

benign prostatic hyperplasia singular

benign prostatic hyperplasias plural

Morphology

benign + prostatic + hyperplasia

The meaning is directly compositional: 'benign' (nonmalignant) + 'prostatic' (of the prostate) + 'hyperplasia' (abnormal growth) yields a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. This is a standard medical compound found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent meanings can infer the overall meaning despite its technical register.

Etymology

The medical name benign prostatic hyperplasia is a plain description: benign means 'not cancer', prostatic refers to the 'prostate', a small male organ, and hyperplasia means 'extra cells' that make it grow. When the prostate grows, it presses the tube that carries urine, so the term explains why it means an enlarged, non-cancer prostate that causes 'urinary problems'.