What are the symptoms of prostate cancer ?
My brother is over the age of 50, making frequent trips to the bathroom during the night? these symptoms may indicate that he has a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate or a cancerous enlargement of the prostate, How to determine , is there any other symptoms?
Most prostate cancers are not symptomatic until they are in later stages, however, when symptoms do develop, they may include frequent trips to the bathroom, increased urinary urgency (meaning the urge comes suddenly and can’t be held very long), erectile difficulties, dribblling after urination, pelvic and/or lower back pain. Some of these symptoms are also the same for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) which is the non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. The only way to tell for sure is to have a physical exam (A DRE – doctor inserts lubricated finger in rectum to feel the prostate gland for any abnormalities, humiliating, yes, but it is not that bad and can save your life!!!), blood tests for PSA (prostate specific antigen detected in the blood, and when elevated can suggest the presence of prostate cancer), transrectal ultrasound, and/or biopsy if the other tests are suspicious. As an aside, any man over 40 or with any urinary difficulties should begin prostate cancer screening. When caught early, it is highly curable. When caught too late, it is not. Often when younger men get it, it tends to be more aggressive so get checked!!!!
August 21st, 2009 at 8:06 am
Most prostate cancers are not symptomatic until they are in later stages, however, when symptoms do develop, they may include frequent trips to the bathroom, increased urinary urgency (meaning the urge comes suddenly and can’t be held very long), erectile difficulties, dribblling after urination, pelvic and/or lower back pain. Some of these symptoms are also the same for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) which is the non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. The only way to tell for sure is to have a physical exam (A DRE – doctor inserts lubricated finger in rectum to feel the prostate gland for any abnormalities, humiliating, yes, but it is not that bad and can save your life!!!), blood tests for PSA (prostate specific antigen detected in the blood, and when elevated can suggest the presence of prostate cancer), transrectal ultrasound, and/or biopsy if the other tests are suspicious. As an aside, any man over 40 or with any urinary difficulties should begin prostate cancer screening. When caught early, it is highly curable. When caught too late, it is not. Often when younger men get it, it tends to be more aggressive so get checked!!!!
References :
My 52 year old husband has Stage IV prostate cancer that we caught too late and it has already spread to his bones!!! He was diagnosed at 51, because doctors would not check him in his 40′s stating he was too young. Had he been checked in his 40′s (which he asked for) he could have caught it early and he could have been cured.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:32 am
Sheryl’s answer pretty much covered it and I want to add my 2 cents. A visit to the urologist for a PSA test and if suggested by the findings of the PSA, a biopsy to confirm/rule out cancer is really the only sure way. I had a lot of trouble with the first doctor I saw who neglected to refer me to a urologist ( I was almost 60 and my prostate was only slightly enlarged so he apparently felt no need to tell me about it) and further trouble with the first urologist I DID get to see over a year later. Looking back, the worst mistake I made in handling my prostate cancer was my hesitancy to go to a different urologist. Be very proactive and don’t only request the test, demand it if necessary! Best wishes for preferably a non-cancer diagnosis and if cancer is diagnosed, that it is caught early.
References :
Prostate cancer survivor, so far. Taking every day as a gift and being thankful for it!
August 21st, 2009 at 9:12 am
You can check http://www.cancerssociety.org/ for detail info
References :