Prostate cancer symptoms: What Are The Symptoms To Look Out For?

Prostate cancer symptoms

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer occuring in men in the United States today. It generally appears after the age of 50 and its incidence increases with age. Prostate cancer usually doesn't show any noticeable symptoms in its early stages and most men tend to ignore these early symptoms as being nothing more than a normal part of the ageing process.

By the time they are aware of the symptoms, the cancer would have reached terminal stages of its development. So, what are the prostate cancer symptoms that we should be on the lookout for to prevent this situation from happening?

Early signs and symptoms of both benign and malignant prostate cancer can include the following:

• A need to urinate frequently, especially at night;
• Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine;
• Weak or interrupted flow of urine;
• Painful or burning urination;
• Difficulty in having an erection;
• Painful ejaculation;
• Blood in urine or semen; or
• Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips and upper thighs

These early prostate cancer symptoms are the body's warning signs that something is wrong inside our body. It may indicate the presence of other diseases or disorders such as the enlargement of the prostate gland (a condition called 'benign prostatic hyperplasia' or 'BPH' for short), prostatit, or some other forms of prostate infections which are usually benign. If left untreated, these conditions may become malignant and the cancer may start spreading beyond the prostate to the other part of our body.

The only way to find out the truth of the condition and to control prostate cancer at its infancy is to undergo routine checkups with tests known as prostate-specific antigen, or a PSA test, and a digital rectal exam or DRE. Some statistics indicate that an early detection of the prostate cancer at its early stages increases your chances, by as high as 98%, for a full recovery from the cancer.

In its advanced stages, prostate cancer can spread to other parts of the body and have many other symptoms. For instance, if it spreads to the bones, it may cause pain in your back, hips, pelvis, and other bony areas. Other suspicious symptoms included weight loss, particularly in elderly men, and difficulty in getting an erection (where you haven't had difficulty before).

Prostate cancer symptoms: How Do You Recognize The Symptoms Of Prostate Problems?

Prostate cancer symptoms

It may appear strange but for many years men knew very little about their prostate gland and it is only in the past few years as prostate cancer has gained in prominence that men are beginning to ask just what the prostate gland is and what it does.

The prostate gland is an important component of the male reproductive system which produces a clear liquid which makes up a substantial portion of a man's seminal fluid. Sperm is taken from the testes to the prostate gland where it is mixed with proteins and prostatic fluid to form semen.

A normal prostate gland is about the size of a walnut, weighs approximately one ounce and sits just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is also frequently described as being donut shaped and is partially wrapped around the urethra, which carrying urine from the bladder and out of the body.

The prostate gland grows throughout a man's life, although from about the age of twenty until the mid-forties this growth is extremely slow and is almost undetectable. Once a man reaches approximately forty-five however it is normal for the growth of the prostate gland to speed up and the vast majority of men will start to experience the symptoms of an enlarged prostate during their forties or fifties.

In many cases an enlarged prostate leads to little more than some mild discomfort which a lot of men simply learn to live with. In some instances however the prostate may become sufficiently enlarged so that it restricts the urethra enough to cause a variety of symptoms which need treatment or persuade a man to seek treatment to relieve his discomfort. Growth of the prostate gland at this point in a man's life is a normal part of the aging process and is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BHP.

In all cases however the greatest problem with an enlarged prostate gland is that this might be something more than a simple case of enlargement and may be masking the growth of an underlying cancer.

When the prostate gland begins to grow it also begins to press on the urethra and to narrow it so that the first signs and symptoms of a problem are often seen when it comes to urinating. Specifically you may experience difficulty in passing water and need to 'push' in order to start the process. You might also suffer from a weak urine flow and a flow which has a tendency to stop and start. As time goes on you will also find that you have to visit the bathroom more often, particularly at night, and that you feel that you have to visit the bathroom even just after you have just done so.

Not surprisingly this could become something of a an irritation to say the least but but, all the same, a lot of men are content to simply put it down as one of the inevitable problems of aging and learn to live with it. The is nothing wrong with this of course but the mistake which far too man men make is not to seek the advice of their doctor at this stage to confirm that their problem is merely BPH and that it is unlikely to lead to other problems.

Aside from the obvious risk of the possibility of an underlying cancer present, BPH can also cause other problems like kidney disease or bladder infection.

Should you begin to encounter signs and symptoms which suggest a prostate problem then visit your doctor so that the problem can be properly diagnosed.