Prostate Cancer Symptoms: Recognizing the Warning Signs

Prostate cancer, common in men over age 65, is a slow-growing cancer that has a five-year survival rate of nearly 100 percent if treated before it has spread. Regular screening is advised because it often produces no symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage or spreads outside the gland.

Symptoms

• Common symptoms of prostate cancer are frequent or painful urination, reduced urine flow, inability to urinate, blood in the urine, and ongoing lower back or pelvic discomfort.

Secondary Causes

• These symptoms are commonly not caused by cancer, but by an enlarged prostate gland.

Risk Factors

• Several factors may increase the risk of prostate cancer, including a history of venereal disease, exposure to toxic chemicals, a high-fat diet and testosterone drug use.

Detection Methods

• A digital rectal exam is a simple, cost-effective detection method. Another effective method is a blood test that detects levels of a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA).

Treatment

• Radiation therapy is often used if the cancer has spread into the capsule of the prostate gland. Removal of the prostate is usually recommended for localized cancer; hormone therapy is used if the cancer has spread. Another type of treatment is cryosurgery, which involves freezing the cancer cells.