BPH in the next millennium:a glimpse to the future

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a highly prevalent, age-related disease. As the world population continues to grow and life expectancy increases, the population of men suffering from BPH will expand. A greater emphasis will be placed on quality of life. The BPH patient of the future will also have greater expectations regarding therapy, which will need to be effective in a shorter period of time. New technologies for the treatment of BPH are anticipated. Already, robot-operated vaporisation of the prostate is being undertaken. With regard to medical therapy, more selective and hence, more effective drugs are under development. With the identification of new α1-adrenoceptor subtypes, α-blocker therapy should target the prostate more accurately. Gene-based therapies will have an important role in the future. It is envisaged that technology will exist whereby defective genes can be replaced and gene expression controlled to overcome the disease process. Through pharmacogenomics, drugs will be tail-ored to the individual, which will, in turn, result in more economical use of medical therapy. Similarly, the development of nanotechnology will allow site-specific delivery of drugs. Together, these advances will make the treatment of BPH even more effective in the new millennium.