The frequency of benign prostate hypertrophy in Calabar.

The present study was to find out through histopathological records the most frequently occurring disease of the prostate from suspected prostate diseases in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. A total number of 324 cases of prostatic biopsies and autopsy materials recorded in the histopathology laboratory of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar between 1986 and 1995 were used for this study. Benign prostatic hypertrophy was observed as the major pathology among all the diseases of the prostate gland recorded in UCTH in Calabar having accounted for 76.3% (261 out of 342) while prostatic carcinoma accounted for 19% (65 out of 324), rest 4.7% (16 out of 342) were inflammatory lesions. The result indicated that benign prostatic hypertrophy occurs in men from 40 years and above. The frequency increased with age, reaching a maximum of 34.5% (90 out of 261) in the age group (70-79) years old. The people in Cross River State should be informed of the high frequency of benign prostatic hypertrophy and should be advised to seek health care promptly in suspected prostate related illness.