Patients who have undergone operations for benign prostatic hypertrophy or hyperplasia:

A. Require routine rectal examinations to detect the development of carcinoma of the prostate.

 DISCUSSION: Patients who have undergone operations for benign prostatic hyperplasia or hypertrophy have had only the inner portion of the prostate removed, which consists of the periurethral glandular structures that give rise to hyperplasia and hypertrophy. The posterior segment of the prostate, which is compressed by the anterior (inner) portion, comprises the surgical capsule and is left behind. The posterior portion of the prostate gland is the most frequent site of origin of prostate cancer. There is no difference in the incidence of carcinoma of the prostate in patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy and those without benign prostatic hypertrophy or those who have and have not undergone operation for prostatic hypertrophy. Since prostate carcinoma can develop at any time in a patient's life, routine examinations and prostate-specific antigen assay are the most efficient methods of detecting this disease.