Abstract
The human prostate is the largest male accessory gland whose main function is to produce alkaline seminal fluid which neutralises the vaginal acidity, prolonging the lifespan of sperm during reproduction. It is also the cause of two common pathological conditions—benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa). BPH is the main condition that accounts for male patients presenting with troublesome lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Despite BPH and PCa being separate conditions, patients—predominantly those from the ageing population—can present with both diseases concomitantly. This is especially true in the larger prostates. PCa is a broad disease with many phenotypical variants and even within an individual, it is not homogenous in its histological features. Despite much work there is much still to be understood about the aetiology, physiology and pathology of these disorders, particularly in patients with larger prostates.
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Nehikhare, O., Kasivisvanathan, V., Ellis, H., Challacombe, B. (2018). Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology of the Large Prostate. In: Kasivisvanathan, V., Challacombe, B. (eds) The Big Prostate. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64704-3_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64704-3_1
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