Prostate Cancer Symptoms

Prostate cancer may or may not cause any symptoms, signs, or warning signals depending on the stage at the time of diagnosis.

In fact, if diagnosed in the earliest stages,  most men may not experience any symptoms or signs from prostate cancer at all. Today, many men are being diagnosed on the basis of abnormal PSA tests before they are symptomatic.

Symptoms or warning signals are more likely if the cancer has grown inside the prostate gland and has narrowed the urethra.

Early symptoms and signs of prostate cancer then may include:

• problems with urination such as difficulty in beginning urination, a weak urinary stream, and even an intermittent flow of urine;
• sometimes before and after urination, some urine continues to dribble;
• a feeling of urgency in having to rush quickly to urinate;
• nocturia or the need to urinate several times during the night;
• even after urination a feeling that the bladder has not been completely emptied and there may be a need to urinate again; 
• pain with orgasm;
• occasionally, hematuria or blood in the urine.

These symptoms are similar to those produced by a common benign disease where the prostate becomes enlarged ( a condition called BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia). If these signs or symptoms are present, then your doctor may do a workup to correctly diagnose the condition.

If prostate cancer has spread or metastasized to other parts of your body, then other advanced prostate cancer symptoms and signs can develop. Bone is the most common site for prostate cancer to spread to especially the lower back, pelvis and hips. Once prostate cancer has advanced and spread to bone, patients may complain of pain in the area of the metastasis.