Prostate Cancer Symptoms
If the cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms. Some men, however, will experience symptoms that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer, including:
•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, or upper thighs.
What causes prostate symptoms
With both prostate cancers and non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, the symptoms are usually caused because the larger prostate
Blocks the flow of urine
Remember – if you have any symptoms you should be checked by your doctor.
Other symptoms of prostate cancer
Cancer of the prostate gland often grows slowly, especially in older men. Symptoms may be mild and occur over many years. Sometimes the first symptoms are from prostate cancer cells which have spread to your bones.
Cancer that has spread to other areas of the body is called metastatic or secondary prostate cancer. The guidelines say that men who have suspicious symptoms should be offered a PSA blood test and a rectal examination.
If you have a suspicious PSA reading and other symptoms that could be related to prostate cancer, the guidelines say your GP should consider referring you to a specialist urgently.
Remember – your GP may decide to delay doing a PSA test sometimes. For example, if you have a urine infection. A test should be delayed for a month after you've had treatment for a urine infection.
Prostate cancer usually doesn't produce any noticeable symptoms in its early stages, so many cases of prostate cancer aren't detected until the cancer has spread beyond the prostate. For most men, prostate cancer is first detected during a routine screening such as a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test or a digital rectal exam (DRE).
When signs and symptoms do occur, they depend on how advanced the cancer is and how far the cancer has spread.
Early signs and symptoms of prostate cancer can include urinary problems, caused when the prostate tumor presses on the bladder or on the tube that carries urine from the bladder (urethra). However, urinary symptoms are much more commonly caused by benign prostate problems, such as an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) or prostate infections. Less than 5 percent of cases of prostate cancer have urinary problems as the initial symptom. When urinary signs and symptoms do occur, they can include:
Trouble urinating
Cancer in your prostate or the area around the prostate can cause:
Blood in your urine
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment