Early Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Early Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer affects the male reproductive system. Like most cancers, it needs to be detected early to ensure successful treatment. It is essential to know the early symptoms of this disease. The article lists out the early warning signs of prostate cancer.

The prostate is an organ that lies below the urinary bladder and near the rectum. It is the organ that produces the fluid that forms the semen. Cancer in the prostate glands occurs due to uncontrolled growth of cells. It may appear in the form of a growth in the prostate. Treatment is possible for prostate cancer. The treatment’s effectiveness depends on early detection. Being aware of the early warning signs of prostate cancer can be helpful in detecting this cancer at an early stage so that proper treatment is given.

1. Early warning signs
During the very early stage of this cancer, there are hardly any symptoms. It is also not possible to feel the tumor. Screening for prostate cancer is the only way of detecting cancer at the early stage. As the tumor grows, symptoms begin to manifest. Pain or burning sensation while urinating is one of the early signs. This occurs even in case of an infection and hence may go undetected. Frequent urination occurs, which increases at night time resulting in many visits to the toilet. Problems during urination that affect the urine flow can be a sign of prostate cancer. This includes difficulty in urinating or difficulty in stopping urination. This can happen when the tumor in the prostate presses on the urinary bladder affecting the muscles. Burning sensation while ejaculating is another sign of prostate cancer. Erectile dysfunction is another symptom that can be due to prostate cancer leading to difficulties in getting an erection or sustaining it. Blood in the urine or semen may not be an early sign but is a serious warning sign that should never be ignored. In case any of these signs are observed, a visit to a doctor is strongly recommended.

2. Symptoms of prostate cancer
Apart from these early signs, there can be other symptoms of prostate cancer many of which are observed at advanced stages. These symptoms include pain in the rectum or a feeling of pressure in the anus. There can be pain in the back, pelvic region, hips, or in the thigh. The pain may begin as a dull ache and later on become severe. The pain emanates from the bones. There can be sudden loss of weight. There can be fatigue and loss of appetite. There will be swelling in the legs. There will be weakness in the limbs with constipation. There can be any unexplained change in bowel movement.

The article explained the symptoms and early warning signs of prostate cancer. Any of these symptoms could be an indicator of prostate cancer. Anyone who has any of these symptoms should immediately get a checkup done to rule out this deadly disease.