Prostate Cancer Symptom

Prostate cancer is one of several types of disease that affects the prostate gland in males. The cancer begins with an abnormal growth of cells of the prostate which begin to grow uncontrollably. Tumors are formed which may then spread to other parts of the body. If spreading occurs the tumors are then malignant and are life threatening. Prostate cancer is one of the leading cancers among men in the United States . It is also the leading cause of cancer deaths among American men. Approximately 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year and around 30,000 men die from prostate cancer each year. Prostate cancer is usually slow in growing; however it can be quite aggressive. Although men are usually at least 50 or older when they develop prostate cancer, younger men have been diagnosed with it and unfortunately it is usually much more aggressive in younger men. Because of the fact that prostate cancer is slow growing, and can develop over a period of years, there may be no early prostate cancer symptom. The lack of a prostate cancer symptom early in the development of the disease makes it difficult to detect and unfortunately many men have already progressed to a later stage of the disease before it is detected, making life saving measurers more difficult.

Because of the where the prostate gland is located and its function, any prostate cancer symptom that is present is most likely to be related to urinary or sexual function. The prostate, along with the testicles and seminal vesicles, make up the major glands of the male reproductive system. Together these glands secrete the fluid that makes up the semen in which sperm travel and are secreted during ejaculation. About the approximate shape and size of a walnut, the prostate gland lies directly behind the bladder. The location of the prostate gland to the urinary tract usually leads to a prostate cancer symptom that can be disguised as a urinary tract infection, making it that much more difficult to diagnose. Because the prostate gland wraps around the urethra, the tube that sends urine to the penis for urination, the first prostate cancer symptom usually appears as a difficulty in urinating. This generally occurs because the prostate gland squeezes the urethra as the tumor begins to grow, making it difficult for urine to pass through the urethra. This type of prostate cancer symptom can also be disguised as another type of prostate disease known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is a non-cancerous condition of the prostate.

In some cases the tumor in the prostate gland may begin to break off into cells that spread to other parts of the body. Nearby lymph nodes as well as the blood may be affected by such metastasis as well as the lungs and bones in the pelvic area of the patient. When this occurs the patient may begin to experience other types of prostate cancer symptoms. The patient may find that they experience weak or interrupted flow of the urine as well as a need to urinate more frequently than usual, particularly at night. Difficulty in starting urinating as well as a sudden inability to urinate may also be present. Patients may also experience pain or what feels like a burning sensation when urinating. In some cases a prostate cancer symptom may appear as blood in the urine or in a persistent pain the lower back, hips or even thighs. If this type of prostate cancer symptom is present, it is possible the cancer has already spread to the bones of the pelvic region. Finally, a patient may experience painful ejaculation as a prostate cancer symptom.

At this time there is no known cause for prostate cancer. Researchers have realized however that prostate cancer is much more likely to appear in men who are 55 years of age or older. Most men are not diagnosed until an average age of 72. The chances of developing prostate cancer increase significantly with age. Only about 1 in 100,000 men will develop prostate cancer under the age of 40, however the risk rises to 1 in 10 by the time a man reaches age 65. It is recommended that all men who are considered to be in a high risk group begin receiving an annual prostate cancer screening by age 45. Men who are considered to be in a high risk group include anyone with a family history of prostate cancer as well as men of African-American ancestry. All other men are recommended to begin receiving annual exams at age 50. In many cases, if there is no presence of prostate cancer symptom and if the cancer is present it may not be detected without an annual exam. Early detection is one of the most important keys to successful treatment of prostate cancer. A digital rectal examination known as a DRE may be performed in order to detect prostate cancer. If during an exam, the doctor finds what he or she believes may be an abnormality, they may order blood tests to confirm the presence of prostate cancer.

While it is rare for prostate cancer do develop in men younger than 50, men who experience problems which may appear to be a prostate cancer symptom should check with their physician. Due to the fact that almost all of the prostate cancer symptoms are related to urinary function, many men may believe they have nothing more than a urinary infection and believe it will eventually clear up on its own or with self treatment. This is a very dangerous decision, because it means that the prostate cancer will not be detected until much later. When prostate cancer is not detected early, there is an increased chance that the patient will need to have their prostate gland removed, which will result in permanent problems with sexual function. The best chance to preserve sexual function is to go in for regular annual examinations and to be aware of signs which could be a prostate cancer symptom.