transurethral resection of the prostate

medicine

Also known as: TURP

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is a surgical procedure used to treat symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, not cancer. It is often performed on men who are too ill or elderly for more extensive surgery, or for those with non-cancerous prostate enlargement.1

The procedure involves removing prostate tissue that obstructs urine flow. While TURP can alleviate symptoms like difficulty urinating and weak urine flow, it does not remove all cancerous cells if cancer is present. Benign prostatic hyperplasia, a common condition in older men causing similar symptoms, should not be confused with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth within the prostate gland.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

prostate cancer
Surgical options
A second surgical procedure, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), is used to relieve symptoms but does not remove all of the cancer. TURP is often used in men who cannot have a radical prostectomy because of advanced age or illness or in men who have a noncancerous enlargement…
Read More
A second surgical procedure, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), is used to relieve symptoms but does not remove all of the cancer. TURP is often used in men who cannot have a radical prostectomy because of advanced age or illness or in men who have a noncancerous enlargement…
Read More