Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia—Video Image Analysis and its Relationship to Androgen and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Expression

Abstract
Androgens are essential for the development and maintenance of the prostate. However, prostatic growth may be mediated by epidermal growth factor (EGF) and the expression of the EGF receptor (EGFR) may be influenced by the androgenic milieu. We have characterized the expression of cytosolic androgen receptor (ARc), nuclear salt extractable androgen receptor (ARn) and EGFR in 89 consecutive cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia, 84 of which were treated by transurethral prostatic resections. Image analysis morphometry was performed on the histological sections to determine the epithelial content of the gland.