Wednesday, February 29, 2012

What are the Symptoms of Prostate Cancer


In my book, The Prostate Storm, I write at some length about my prediagnosis experience with hematuria (blood in the urine), urinary tract irritation and infections, chronic and acute prostatitis, frequency, dribbling, burning and urgency.  They're all potential signs of advanced prostate cancer, as well as BPH and prostatitis, the other two common prostate diseases. 

I had the targeted, high-dose radiation in 2008 and, interestingly, all those symptoms have disappeared.  The cancer is gone, but so is the annoying BPH and prostatitis (apparently), which was everywhere in my pathology report. As one doctor later told me, "you got a three-fer."

With that in mind, here's a look at the symptoms for prostate cancer from an excellent site on all-things-prostate, Prostate Cancer Treatment Guide:

First of all … there are no early prostate cancer symptoms. In fact, men who develop prostate cancer may never exhibit signs and symptoms of prostate cancer, even during advanced stages. The tumor associated with adenocarcinoma of the prostate or prostatic adenocarcinoma is so small, that men do not experience symptoms. The symptoms listed below occur more commonly with BPH or prostatitis.


Prostate cancer symptoms are either urinary or sexual, such as frequency or impotence. Prostate cancer symptoms require a tumor that is large or extensive enough to affect the bladder, urethra, seminal vesicles, etc. Locally advanced prostate cancer and metastatic disease are more likely to cause symptoms. Locally advanced prostate cancer that spreads throughout the gland may affect the immediately surrounding areas. Invasion into the immediately surrounding areas can involve the prostatic capsule or the seminal vesicles.



Here are the symptoms that could be associated with locally advanced prostate cancer:

  • Urinary frequency is the feeling of having to go to the bathroom so often that it interferes with participation in normal activities. Urinary frequency should not be confused with urge incontinence which is the strong and sudden onset of urgency that results in the inability to get to a bathroom in time.
  • Difficulty starting urination may be caused by the growth of the prostate gland, which may be a result of either benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer. If the prostate gland is growing, the growth may constrict the urethra and result in difficulty in starting the stream of urine.
  • Weak or interrupted flow of urine is also caused by the growth of the prostate gland and subsequent constriction of the urethra.
  • Painful or burning urination is also known as dysuria. Dysuria is an uncommon symptom of prostate cancer and is more likely to be associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
  • Hematuria is more often associated with bladder cancer. Hematuria is the presence of blood in the urine and may not be visible to the eye.
  • Difficulty in having an erection or less rigid erections than usual. The growth of the prostate gland can also effect the flow of blood into the penis.
  • Painful ejaculation may occur as a result of urethral constriction by the prostate gland. The constriction creates a narrow channel through which the semen is forced to pass during ejaculation.
  • Hematospermia refers to blood in the semen. Hematospermia may not be visible to the eye.
  • Impotence is the inability to have an erection satisfactory for penetration during sexual intercourse. The sudden onset of impotence for no apparent reason may indicate prostatic disease.
  • Less semen during ejaculation than usual. Prostatic disease may affect the volume of ejaculary fluid which is produced by the prostate gland and the seminal vesicles.
  • (About the attached video above: I'm not endorsing any product here, but the doctor's discussion about BPH and related symptoms as a potential prelude to more serious prostate issues, including cancer, is worth listening to.)

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I have read this blog, it's really nice and informative. Thanks for sharing information. Avodart

Unknown said...

This is really helpful you have here. Some people aren't well informed on what those symptoms are. Do they have the same symptoms as benign prostatic hypertrophy?

Black Smith said...

These kind of courses are very important to the society that we live in if these kind of courses were start before the situation was much batter

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