Drug Shown to Reduce Need for Surgery on Enlarged Prostate Glands
Compiled by Times medical writer Thomas H. Maugh II
The drug Proscar has been shown for the first time to reduce the need for surgery to treat enlarged prostate glands. In a study of 3,040 men with prostate enlargement reported today in the New England Journal of Medicine, only 5% of those who took Proscar required prostate-reduction surgery compared to 10% of those who got dummy pills.
Proscar, known generically as finasteride, is one of the most widely prescribed prostate drugs. Although it has been shown to reduce prostate symptoms, such as trouble urinating, the latest study is the first clear evidence that this improvement lessens the likelihood of surgery.
