Prostate cancer: 10 main symptoms, causes and diagnosis

Prostate cancer is a very common type of cancer in men, especially after the age of 50. In general, this cancer grows very slowly and most of the time it does not produce symptoms in the initial phase, however, it can manifest itself through signs such as changes in urine, pain when passing urine or difficulty maintaining an erection, for example, which is common to other problems like benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Generally, treatment is done with surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, depending on the stage of the disease, which when it is discovered in the initial phase, has a greater chance of cure.

Since it is a cancer that can be easily treated in the early stages and is relatively common in men of older age, the Brazilian Society of Urology recommends that screening be done from the age of 50, or 45, in men with a history of prostate cancer in the family, especially father or brother.

Early symptoms of prostate cancer

The initial symptoms of prostate cancer are unspecific and very similar to any other problem in that region. So, to know if there is a risk of having a prostate problem, check what you are feeling:

1. 1. Difficulty starting to urinate Yes No
2. 2. Very weak stream of urine Yes No
3. 3. Frequent desire to urinate, even at night Yes No
4. 4. Feeling full bladder, even after urinating Yes No
5. 5. Presence of urine drops in the underwear Yes No
6. 6. Impotence or difficulty maintaining an erection Yes No
7. 7. Pain when ejaculating or urinating Yes No
8. 8. Presence of blood in the semen Yes No
9. 9. Sudden urge to urinate Yes No
10. 10. Pain in the testicles or near the anus Yes No

However, the fact that you are at risk of having a prostate problem does not mean that it is cancer, as other problems, such as prostatitis or benign prostatic hypertrophy, are more frequent. These problems, although they need treatment, are easier to control and do not present a health risk as high as cancer.

Anyway, if any of these symptoms appear, you should always see a urologist to do tests that identify if it really is a case of cancer, such as rectal examination or PSA, since the early diagnosis increases a lot the chances of a cure.

Watch the following video and check which symptoms indicate prostate problems and which tests can be done:

Symptoms of advanced prostate cancer

In more advanced cases, where the prostate is very large and the cancer is more developed, other more serious symptoms may appear, such as:

• Urinary or fecal incontinence; Leg weakness; Renal failure.

In addition, if the cancer has spread to other regions of the body, symptoms such as constant pain in the back, thighs, shoulders or other bones, for example, are also common.

In more advanced stages, treatment is more difficult, but it is still important to see the doctor so that he can assess the extent of the disease and whether other organs have been affected, adapting the treatment.

How to confirm the diagnosis

Since this cancer does not cause symptoms at the beginning of its evolution, the best way to assess whether there is cancer developing in the prostate is to have a digital rectal exam and a PSA blood test.

If, during rectal examination, the doctor palpates a lump or if the PSA blood test is severely altered, the prostate should be further investigated through ultrasound, biopsy guided by ultrasound and urine tests. Learn about the main tests used to identify prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer stages

Once the existence of prostate cancer is confirmed, it is essential to identify the stage of the cancer to guide the treatment, being that:

• Stage A - Tumor that is neither visible nor palpable to the touch; Stage B - Tumor inside the prostate that is palpable to the touch and visible on imaging exams Stadium C - Tumor that reached the seminal vesicles, which are close to the prostate; Stage D - Tumor that has already reached other organs and there are already metastases, which may affect the urethra, rectum, bladder, for example.

The degree of cancer allows to define the best treatment and to see if there is a cure for the disease.

What Causes Prostate Cancer

There is no specific cause for the development of prostate cancer, however, some factors are associated with an increased risk of having this type of cancer, and include:

• Having a first-degree relative (father or brother) with a history of prostate cancer; Being over 50 years of age; Eating a poorly balanced diet that is rich in fats or calcium; Suffering from obesity or being overweight.

In addition, African-American men are also twice as likely to have prostate cancer as any other ethnicity.

How to achieve a cure for cancer

Prostate cancer, in a good part of the cases, has a cure and it can be achieved through treatments that include surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and the treatment can be done free of charge in hospitals like INCA.

In most cases, there is a greater chance of a cure when the disease is diagnosed early, and treatment can usually include:

• Surgery: removal of the prostate and in some cases of the groin tongue is performed; Radiotherapy: it is usually used when the tumor has not yet reached other organs or has only reached the nearest organs; Chemotherapy: the treatment is done with medicines in the vein or through pills.

In many cases, these treatments can cause side effects such as urinary incontinence, impotence and the impossibility of having children, but if not treated, the disease can spread throughout the body, being potentially fatal.

In some cases, prostate cancer is only diagnosed when it spreads to other regions of the body, which decreases the possibility of curing the disease.