br br br An enlarged prostate is an increase in the size of the prostate. It isn’t caused by cancer. The medical term for an enlarged prostate is benign prostatic enlargement (BPE). br br Benign – non-cancerous. br Prostatic – to do with the prostate. br Enlargement – an increase in size. br br You might also hear it called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Hyperplasia means an increase in the number of cells. It is this increase in cells that causes the prostate to grow (see diagram). In our information, we use the words 'enlarged prostate' to describe both BPE and BPH. br br An enlarged prostate is very common in men over the age of about 50. Not all men with an enlarged prostate get symptoms. But as the prostate grows, it can press on the outside of the urethra, causing the urethra to become narrow. This can slow down or sometimes even stop the flow of urine when you try to urinate. It can also cause leaking. br br About 1 in 3 men over the age of 50 have urinary symptoms. The most common cause of these symptoms is an enlarged prostate.