Abnormal enlargement of the prostate gland that occurs most often in men over age 50, making urination difficult.

• A. Prostatitis
• B. Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
• C. Prostate Cancer
• D. Nocturia

Answer: (B)

Enlargement of the prostate around the urethra in older men is most classically Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. The prostate grows mainly in the transitional (perieurethral) zone, which surrounds and narrows the urethral passage. As the gland enlarges, it constricts the urethral lumen, making urination harder. This produces obstructive symptoms such as a weak, hesitant, or intermittent stream and a sense of incomplete bladder emptying, often accompanied by irritative symptoms like nocturia or frequency.

Prostatitis is an inflammatory condition that can cause pelvic pain, fever, and painful urination, but it is not simply age-related prostate enlargement. Prostate cancer is a malignancy that may cause urinary issues later, but it typically presents differently (and may show a hard or irregular nodule on exam) rather than the smooth, age-related enlargement seen with BPH. Nocturia is a symptom that can occur with BPH, but it isn’t the underlying diagnosis by itself.