Prostate cancer remains the most common cancer among all men, second only to skin cancer. It is estimated that 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.

Some risk factors for prostate cancer include:

  1. Age: Beginning at age 50, there is a rapid increase in prostate cancer. Two out of three prostate cancers are found in men over the age of 65.
  2. Race: Prostate cancer is more prevalent among African-American men. Not only is an African-American man more likely to have prostate cancer, but the is twice as likely to pass away from it.
  3. Family history: If you have a father or brother with a history of prostate cancer before age 65, you should talk to your doctor about testing for prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is detected through a combination of a digital rectal examination (DRE) and a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test.

What are the Symptoms of Prostate Cancer?

There are no warning signs of early prostate cancer. Once a tumor causes the prostate gland to swell, or once cancer spreads beyond the prostate, the following symptoms may happen:

  • A frequent need to urinate, especially at night
  • Difficulty starting or stopping a stream of urine
  • A weak or interrupted urinary stream
  • Leaking of urine when laughing or coughing
  • Inability to urinate standing up
  • A painful or burning sensation during urination or ejaculation
  • Blood in urine or semen

These are not symptoms of cancer itself; instead, they are caused by the blockage from the cancer growth in the prostate. They can also be caused by an enlarged, noncancerous prostate or by a urinary tract infection.

Symptoms of advanced prostate cancer include:

  • Dull, deep pain or stiffness in the pelvis, lower back, ribs, or upper thighs; pain in the bones of those areas
  • Loss of weight and appetite, fatigue, nausea, or vomiting
  • Swelling of the lower extremities
  • Weakness or paralysis in the lower limbs, often with constipation

Call Your Doctor About Prostate Cancer If:

You have trouble urinating or find that urination is painful or different from normal. 

Your doctor should examine your prostate gland to determine whether it is enlarged, inflamed with an infection, or cancerous.

For more information, please call 573-406-5800.