Mortality from benign prostatic hyperplasia: worldwide trends 1950-92.

The most probable interpretation of these trends is that therapeutic improvements--including more widespread and timely surgery, introduction of less invasive techniques, such as transurethral prostatectomy, and possibly the development of medical treatments--have had a favourable and substantial impact on BPH mortality. There are, however, areas of the world, including several countries of western Europe and South America, where rates are still very high.