Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy With Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate

Abstract

Benign prostatic hypertrophy is a common disorder which produces clinical symptoms in 30% to 40% of males over 60 years old. Adequate surgical techniques are available for treatment of this disease. However, because the patients are usually elderly, there is frequently coincidental cardiac, renal, or pulmonary pathology adding to the risks of a surgical procedure. A medical therapy which could even delay the need for surgery would be useful. Medical prophylaxis capable of preventing this condition or of arresting its progress would be more useful. Numerous unsuccessful attempts at endocrine therapy for benign prostatic hypertrophy with estrogen or androgen, or both, have been made over the past 30 years. The rationale for such therapy has been based largely upon the hypothesis that altered secretion of testicular steroids occurs and is a factor in the production of benign prostatic hypertrophy. Despite the failure of such therapy in the past, there are