Prostate cancer symptoms

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In the early stages of the disease, when a tumour is contained in the original site, patients do not usually experience any prostate cancer symptoms. Prostate cancer symptoms  can present in three main ways.

[1] Prostate cancer symptoms of local disease:-

• Frequent urination, especially at night
• Difficulty starting or stopping urine flow
• Weak or interrupted urine flow
• Inability to urinate
• Pain or burning sensation while urinating
• Blood in the urine or semen
• Frequent or constant pain in the lower back, pelvis or upper thighs
• Difficulty having or keeping an erection

If any of these symptoms last longer than two weeks it is advisable to make an appointment with your doctor (regardless of your age). Having these signs does not necessarily mean you do have a tumour, it can also indicate other diseases or disorders.

[2] Features of spread to surrounding or distant areas of the body.

• Pain in the bones eg. back or ribs
• Unexplained weight loss
• Swelling of the ankles

[3] Screened or picked up by chance.

More and more men are simply having a blood test with no symptoms, either within a well man clinic or part of a blood test for other reasons. The PSA  prostate specific antigen cancer test measures a protein that is produced by prostate cells. High PSA levels is often a feature of this cancer. But benign conditions and infections raise the level of PSA as well.

Further general information Your doctors and specialist nurses are in an ideal position to give you relevant information on your disease and treatment as they know your individual circumstances. Cancerbackup has a help line (0808 800 1234) and a prize winning video available in English, Italian, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati & Hindi explaining Radiotherapy & Chemotherapy. Cancernet.co.uk has over 500 pages describing cancer, its management, practical tips and tool which patients, their carers and their doctors have found helpful during the cancer journey.