Tuesday, March 26, 2024
HomeCancerProstate Cancer Signs In Men

Prostate Cancer Signs In Men

What Questions Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider

10 Warning Signs of Prostate Cancer

If you have prostate cancer, you may want to ask your healthcare provider:

  • Why did I get prostate cancer?
  • What is my Gleason score? What is my Grade Group? What do these numbers mean for me?
  • Has the cancer spread outside of the prostate gland?
  • What is the best treatment for the stage of prostate cancer I have?
  • If I choose active surveillance, what can I expect? What signs of cancer should I look out for?
  • What are the treatment risks and side effects?
  • Is my family at risk for developing prostate cancer? If so, should we get genetic tests?
  • Am I at risk for other types of cancer?
  • What type of follow-up care do I need after treatment?
  • Should I look out for signs of complications?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Prostate cancer is a common cancer that affects males. Most prostate cancers grow slowly and remain in the prostate gland. For a small number, the disease can be aggressive and spread quickly to other parts of the body. Men with slow-growing prostate cancers may choose active surveillance. With this approach, you can postpone, and sometimes completely forego, treatments. Your healthcare provider can discuss the best treatment option for you based on your Gleason score and Group Grade.

Advanced Prostate Cancer Symptoms

Men with advanced prostate cancer may experience additional symptoms. Thats because the cancer has spread from the prostate to other parts of the body, such as the bones or lymph nodes.

Signs of metastatic prostate cancer may include:

  • Swelling in legs or pelvic area
  • Numbness or pain in the hips, legs or feet
  • Bone pain that persists or leads to fractures

A wide range of treatment options are available for managing advanced cancer. These treatments kill cancer cells, but they may also help patients manage pain.

Prostate cancer treatment: The care you need is one call away

Your multidisciplinary team will work with you to develop a personalized plan to treat your prostate cancer in a way that fits your individual needs and goals.

A Note About Sex And Gender

Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article will use the terms, male, female, or both to refer to sex assigned at birth. .

will depend on the cancer stage, among other factors, such as the Gleason score and PSA levels. It is also worth noting that many treatment options may be applicable, regardless of the stage of cancer.

In the sections below, we list some for prostate cancer and explore what treatment may mean for fertility.

Also Check: Prostate Cancer Stages Life Expectancy

Treating Advanced Prostate Cancer

If the cancer has reached an advanced stage, it is no longer possible to cure it. However, it may be possible to slow its progression, prolong your life and relieve symptoms.

Treatment options include:

  • hormone treatment

If the cancer has spread to your bones, medicines called bisphosphonates may be used. Bisphosphonates help reduce bone pain and bone loss.

What You Need To Know About Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer Doctors of York, PA

Most types of prostate cancer are known as adenocarcinomas, which are cancers that develop from gland cells, the Mayo Clinic says.

While some forms of prostate cancer grow and spread quickly, others grow quite slowly. The American Cancer Society notes that some people can have undetectable prostate cancer for decades without it causing any problems. But the risks of prostate cancer are quite serious, particularly as it begins to spread to other areas of the body.

Recommended Reading: Does Enlarged Prostate Cause Ed

Causes Of Prostate Cancer Risk Factors

Some researchers cant find a direct cause of prostate cancer, but many have found various risk factors. Some say it might have a hereditary risk and is inherited. Only 10% of people who have it are hereditary. Age is also another risk factor when it comes to prostate cancer. Men who are over the age of 50 have a higher rate of being diagnosed. Race and ethnicity are also important factors. Latinos have the lowest rate of prostate cancer. African Americans have the highest rate of prostate cancer. Other risk factors include diet. Many studies see a correlation between diet and prostate cancer. If you are experiencing any symptoms, visit a urology clinic to help with your needs.

Lower Your Risk For Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a serious disease, but early detection is key. Talk to your doctor about your risk factors and when or if you should be screened for prostate cancer sometimes as early as age 40, if youre considered high risk.

Theres no way to eliminate the risk of getting prostate cancer, Dr. Weight says, but if youre at a higher risk for developing the disease, there are steps you can take to lower your risk.

  • Get regular prostate screenings.

Don’t Miss: How To You Get Prostate Cancer

Who Is More Likely To Develop Prostate Cancer

Anyone who has a prostate can develop prostate cancer. But certain factors can make you more likely to develop it:

  • Age. Your chance of developing prostate cancer increases as you get older. Prostate cancer is rare in people under age 50.
  • Family health history. Your risk of prostate cancer is higher if you have a parent, sibling, or child who has or has had prostate cancer.
  • Race. African Americans are more likely to get prostate cancer. They’re also more likely to:
  • Get prostate cancer at a younger age.
  • Have more serious prostate cancer.
  • Die from prostate cancer.

What Are The Stages Of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer: warning signs, diagnosis and treatment

The primary staging assessment of prostate cancer is usually made by digital rectal examination , prostate specific antigen measurement, and bone scan, supplemented with computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging and chest X-ray in specific situations.

Staging is a system of classifying tumors by size, location, and extent of spread, local and remote.

Staging is an important part of treatment planning because tumors respond best to different treatments at different stages.

Stage is also a good indicator of prognosis, or the chances of success after treatment.

Clinical staging provides the initial information about the extent of disease that is used to plan therapy. However, clinical staging can underestimate the extent of the tumor, when compared with results based upon pathologic examination of a resection specimen .

Conventional stages of prostate cancer are as follows:

  • Stage I : The cancer cannot be felt on digital rectal exam, and there is no evidence that it has spread outside the prostate. These are often found incidentally during surgery for an enlarged prostate.
  • Stage II : The tumor is larger than a stage I and can be felt on digital rectal exam. There is no evidence that the cancer has spread outside the prostate. These are usually found on biopsy when a man has an elevated PSA level.
  • Stage III : The cancer has invaded other tissues neighboring the prostate.
  • Stage IV : The cancer has spread to lymph nodes or to other organs.

Also Check: How Long Does Radiation Treatment Last For Prostate Cancer

Tests Used To Check The Prostate

This first step lets your doctor hear and understand the story of your prostate concerns. Youll be asked whether you have symptoms, how long youve had them, and how much they affect your lifestyle. Your personal medical history also includes any risk factors, pain, fever, or trouble passing urine. You may be asked to give a urine sample for testing.

Belly Pain And Depression

Itâs rare, but depression along with stomach pain can be a sign of cancer of the pancreas. Should you worry? Not unless this cancer runs in your family, Meyers says. Then you need to see your doctor.

Show Sources

American Cancer Society: “Prostate Enlargement: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia ” “The prostate gland ” “Signs and symptoms of kidney cancer ” “Signs and symptoms of bladder cancer ” “Cancer in the lymph nodes ” and “Breast Cancer in Men.”

Cancer Patients Alliance.

Don’t Miss: Psa Levels In Metastatic Prostate Cancer Uk

Things To Know About Prostate Cancer Signs And Symptoms

Prostate cancer affects men in their prostate glands. One of the most common cancers found in men, it can go undetected for years. A slow-growing tumor will not push against anything to cause pain in the early stages.

Prostate cancer may first appear through urinary symptoms. The tumor can press on and restrict your urethra, which can cause interrupted urine flow and pain when urinating. You may also experience loss of bladder control, a frequent urge to urinate, or a burning sensation while urinating. These early signs of prostate cancer may go undetected or be associated with the wrong issue.

Early screenings can determine if you have cancerous cells in your prostate. About 85 percent of prostate cancers are detected in early screenings. Cancer cells can be found before you experience any kind of symptoms.

Recommended Reading: What Does Elevated Psa Mean After Prostate Removal

Determining The Proper Treatment

Prostate Cancer: Signs, Symptoms, and Complications

There are a number of treatment options for prostate cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic.

  • Radiation. Radiation therapy can be delivered in a few different ways. One is external beam radiation, in which a machine outside the body delivers radiation to the prostate tissue. Another form of therapy, known as brachytherapy, involves using radioactive seeds to deliver a low dose of radiation directly to the prostate tissue.
  • Hormones. The hormone testosterone acts as fuel for prostate cancer cells inside the body. By blocking the production of testosterone, you can kill off the cancer. Possible treatments include medications that stop the production of testosterone, medications that block testosterone from reaching cancer cells or, in extreme cases, surgery to remove the testicles.
  • Surgery. For life-threatening prostate cancer, surgery to remove the prostate gland and surrounding tissues may be recommended.
  • Biological therapy. Biological therapy uses your bodys own immune system to fight cancer. In the case of prostate cancer, your bodys immune cells are engineered in a lab to fight prostate cancer, and then injected back into your body.
  • Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is a traditional cancer treatment thats used to stop its spread. It may be needed for prostate cancer that has spread to other areas of the body.
  • Cryosurgery or cryoablation. Freezing prostate tissue and then thawing it out has shown some success in killing prostate cancer when other treatments have failed.

You May Like: Can You Get An Erection Without A Prostate

Why Does Prostate Cancer Happen

The causes of prostate cancer are largely unknown. However, certain things can increase your risk of developing the condition.

The chances of developing prostate cancer increase as you get older. Most cases develop in men and anyone with a prostate aged 50 or older.

For reasons not yet understood, prostate cancer is more common in men and anyone with a prostate of African-Caribbean African descent. It’s less common in men and anyone with a prostate of Asian descent.

Men and anyone with a prostate who have first-degree male relatives affected by prostate cancer are also at a slightly increased risk.

Read more about the causes of prostate cancer

Screening For Prostate Cancer

There are no tests available with sufficient accuracy to screen populations of men for early signs of prostate cancer. However, early detection and treatment can significantly improve prostate cancer survival.

The test most commonly used to aid early detection of prostate cancer is the prostate specific antigen blood test. This is not a diagnostic test as it can only indicate changes in the prostate. If you are concerned about prostate cancer you should talk to your doctor and make an informed choice about whether to have one of the tests designed to find early signs of prostate cancer, in view of the potential risks and benefits.

There are no proven measures to prevent prostate cancer.

You May Like: External Beam Radiation Therapy For Prostate Cancer

So What Are The Warning Signs Of Prostate Cancer

Unfortunately, there usually arent any early warning signs for prostate cancer. The growing tumor does not push against anything to cause pain, so for many years the disease may be silent. Thats why screening for prostate cancer is such an important topic for all men and their families.

Get the Free Prostate Cancer Patient Guide.

Enter your email address to get the pdf

In rare cases, prostate cancer can cause symptoms. Contact your doctor for an evaluation if you experience any of the following:

  • A need to urinate frequently, especially at night, some- times urgently
  • Difficulty starting or holding back urination
  • Weak, dribbling, or interrupted flow of urine
  • Painful or burning urination
  • Difficulty in having an erection
  • A decrease in the amount of fluid ejaculated
  • Pressure or pain in the rectum
  • Pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, pelvis, or thighs

Remember: urinary symptoms dont necessarily mean you have cancer. Prostatitis or BPH are benign diseases but can cause similar symptoms and are very common.

What about difficulty in having an erection? Again, this is most likely not caused by cancer but by other factors such as diabetes, smoking, cardiovascular disease, or just plain getting older.

That said: Symptoms are symptoms, and no matter whats most likely to be causing them, you should get them checked out by a doctor.

Download or order your free copy of the Prostate Cancer Patient Guide now with COVID-19 Appendix.

Is It Linked With Prostate Cancer

What are the Symptoms of Prostate Cancer?

The answer, according to the latest studies as of 2018, is no. In fact, finasteride reduces the risk of getting a low-grade prostate cancer. One study did show it may cause a more aggressive form of prostate cancer if you were to get it, but later studies have shown the numbers behind this are not statistically significant.

Dont Miss: What Food Causes Enlarged Prostate

Also Check: How Do People Get Prostate Cancer

What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer symptoms do not usually manifest themselves in the early stages of the disease. Less than five percent of men with prostate cancer show early urinary symptoms. The condition has usually progressed to later stages when prostate cancer symptoms do arise.

Some men may experience symptoms that can indicate the presence of prostate cancer. Others may find out during a routine check-up, a blood test, or a rectal exam with their doctor. Because the symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to other symptoms patients, will need to go through further testing to determine whether they actually have prostate cancer.

Staging Of Prostate Cancer

Doctors will use the results of your prostate examination, biopsy and scans to identify the ‘stage’ of your prostate cancer . The stage of the cancer will determine which types of treatments will be necessary.

A widely used method of staging is a number staging system. The stages are:

  • stage 1 the cancer is very small and completely within the prostate gland
  • stage 2 the cancer is within the prostate gland, but is larger
  • stage 4 the cancer has spread into the lymph nodes or another part of the body, including the bladder, rectum or bones about 20 to 30% of cases are diagnosed at this stage

If prostate cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the chances of survival are generally good.

Read further information:

Also Check: Can Prostate Cancer Metastasis To The Colon

Warning Signs Of Prostate Cancer

One of the challenges of prostate cancer is that it often doesnt present symptoms that alert men to its presence, particularly in the early stages. But the Urology Care Foundation notes that there may be some warning signs that you have problems related to your prostate, including the following:

  • Frequent urge to urinate
  • Hip, back or thigh pain
  • Reduced appetite
  • If you get screened for prostate cancer, there are additional warning signs based on how the prostate gland cells look under a microscope, notes the American Cancer Society. Cells that may be concerning will exhibit some level of what is known as prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia . These cells may exhibit low-grade PIN, in which something is slightly off with the cells, or high-grade PIN, when they show clear abnormalities.

    Under a microscope, prostate gland cells may also exhibit what is known as proliferative inflammatory atrophy . PIA indicates cells that are smaller than normal and show some signs of inflammation. These cells may be worth additional monitoring because they could develop high-grade PIN and ultimately prostate cancer.

    How Common Is Prostate Cancer

    Urology Health and Wellness: Symptoms of Prostate Cancer in Men ...

    About one in nine men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis during his lifetime. Prostate cancer is second only to skin cancer as the most common cancer affecting males. Close to 200,000 American men receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer every year. There are many successful treatments and some men dont need treatment at all. Still, approximately 33,000 men die from the disease every year.

    You May Like: Best Treatment For Low Grade Prostate Cancer

    Stages Of Prostate Cancer

    Any T, any N, M1

    Any Grade Group

    Any PSA

    The cancer might or might not be growing into tissues near the prostate and might or might not have spread to nearby lymph nodes . It has spread to other parts of the body, such as distant lymph nodes, bones, or other organs . The Grade Group can be any value, and the PSA can be any value.

    Prostate cancer staging can be complex. If you have any questions about your stage, please ask someone on your cancer care team to explain it to you in a way you understand.

    While the stage of a prostate cancer can help give an idea of how serious the cancer is likely to be, doctors are now looking for other ways to tell how likely a prostate cancer is to grow and spread, which might also help determine a mans best treatment options.

    Living With Prostate Cancer

    As prostate cancer usually progresses very slowly, you can live for decades without symptoms or needing treatment.

    Nevertheless, it can have an effect on your life. As well as causing physical problems such as erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence, a diagnosis of prostate cancer can understandably make you feel anxious or depressed.

    You may find it beneficial to talk about the condition with your family, friends, a family doctor and other people with prostate cancer.

    Financial support is also available if prostate cancer reduces your ability to work.

    Read more about living with prostate cancer

    Don’t Miss: Foods To Reduce Prostate Size

    RELATED ARTICLES

    Most Popular