Prostate Cancer Symptoms

 

Prostate cancer symptoms are not evident in its early stage. The prostate cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the prostate gland which is the part of male reproductive system. This gland produces the seminal fluid.

This fluid helps in the nourishing and transporting the sperm. The abnormal growth of the cells is as a result of the mutations of the prostate cells. These cells even spread to various other surrounding areas or organs from the prostate gland.

This prostate cancer affects elderly men over 50 years of age. The impotency and threat to sexuality are the common consequences after the treatments. Some men even face the bladder control problems and erectile dysfunction.

As the elderly are affected the death is due to some other cause or health problems rather than the prostate cancer itself, as this disease is rarely detected or diagnosed in the early stage and treated. Let us first gather some information on types of prostate cancer before knowing the prostate cancer symptoms.

The prostate cancer is categorized into three types based on its occurrence as the locally advanced prostate cancer, the metastatic prostate cancer and the recurrent prostate cancer.

The diagnosis procedure involves the blood tests like the prostate specific antigen test and others like x-rays, bone scans. A biopsy is also done to confirm the presence of the disease.

There are certain factors which are considered before opting for any treatment. They are the consequences after the treatment and the patient condition and the curative rate after the treatment and how far the treatment will improve the patient survival and the quality of life.

Some Common Prostate Cancer Symptoms or Prostate Cancer Signs

In the early stage the prostate cancer symptoms are not shown. Due to this reason this disease is not detected or diagnosed in its early stage. The symptoms are predicted only when the disease reaches its advanced stage meaning when the cancer has already spread beyond the prostate.

Early stage of prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms. That’s why many cases of prostate cancer aren’t detected until it has spread beyond the prostate.

Often it is diagnosed during the workup for an elevated PSA noticed during a routine checkup.

Sometimes, however, prostate cancer symptoms are caused in minor cases, often similar to those of diseases such as benign prostatic hypertrophy. The prostate cancer symptoms or prostate cancer signs can be summarized as follows:

  • Urgency of urinating or Frequent urination
  • A condition may be experienced in which urination more in the nights is called nocturia.
  • Hesitancy may also be a prostate cancer symptom in which difficulty starting urination can be experienced
  • Maintaining a steady stream of urine
  • Blood in the urine called hematuria.
  • Pain during urination called dysuria.
  • Being unable to urinate at all.
  • Weak urine flow and dribbling
  • Intermittent urine flow
  • A sensation that the bladder doesn’t empty
  • Painful ejaculation
  • Difficulty achieving erection
  • Dull pain in the lower pelvic area
  • General pain in the lower back, hips or upper thighs
  • Loss of appetite and weight
  • Persistent bone pain
  • In case of advanced prostate cancer blood in the semen called hematospermia or hemospermia may also be noticed

Advanced prostate cancer symptoms may also be caused as the disease spreads to other parts of the body. In the vertebrae often bone pain may be experienced including the pelvis or ribs, from cancer which has spread to these bones. Prostate cancer in the spine can also compress the spinal cord, causing leg weakness and urinary and fecal incontinence.