A set of genes comprising mostly ESTs and several genes associated with cell proliferation (for example, calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine kinase, phosphoserine phosphatase, S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 or p45) were significantly up-regulated in the symptomatic BPH group, and a subset of genes including oncogenes and immediate early genes (for example, ras-related protein, v-jun, v-fos, immediate early protein, and early growth response gene) was highly up-regulated in the BPH with cancer group alone. This evidence concerns the gene SKP2 and cancer.