080 099 9239Symptoms
Prostate cancer does not have any early warning signs. When a tumour forms it will cause the gland to swell and if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body then you could have some of these symptoms:
- Urinating becomes more frequent, more so throughout the night
- Urinary stream becomes weak or even interrupted
- Cannot stand and urinate
- Urine or semen have blood
- Ejaculation or urination becomes painful or there might be a burning sensation
When there is a blockage in the prostate due to cancer the symptoms are
- Pain in bones or stiffness, could occur in lower back, pelvic area, upper thighs, or even ribs
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Weight or appetite loss
- Lower extremities become swollen
- Constipation is usually paired with lower limbs becoming weak or paralysed
Screening for cancer of the prostate
When men reach the age of 50, it is recommended they do a yearly examination along with blood tests. If they are, in what is considered the high risk group and it happens to be in their family history, or they are of the African American ethnicity, then screening should start at 40 years of age.
Diagnosing
If there happens to be no symptoms then there are a couple of other tests which could be done – a digital rectal exam, where the doctor enters through the rectum and checks the prostate for nodules, or a blood test can be done just to check if there is any specific antigen being produced by the prostate – a biopsy could also be performed just to confirm any results.
Treatments
If the prostate cancer is caught in the early stages there is a greater chance it could be cured. Early stages means the cancer has not yet spread anywhere else in the body. Treatment at this stage would be:
- Active surveillance
- Radiation therapy
- Surgery
If the cancer is more advanced then there are treatments that will provide long term control such as
- Hormone therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Surgery
- Radiation
Coping with prostate cancer
Being told you have prostate cancer is not only overwhelming, but can send stress levels through the roof. If you are having problems coping then seek professional help. Some useful tips are:
- When something is not understood ask for it to be repeated
- Learn more about the cancer
- Involve family in understanding any information you receive
- Other patients can help with discussing the cancer and treatments so it’s good to talk to them about this
Clinical tests