Prostate Cancer Symptoms

Successfully identifying prostate cancer symptoms can be easy if you know what you are looking for. In the next few paragraphs we will see what the major health organizations are saying and about the symptoms of prostate cancer. Keep in mind that early detection is key to winning a fight with prostate cancer.

As technology advances, it is getting easier to verify the common symptoms for prostate cancer in men. The current statistics say that if you are living in the United States and over age forty five, your chances are currently one in six that you are at positive risk for contracting prostate cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, one of the more common signs and symptoms of prostate cancer are urinary problems, such as difficulty or not being able to urinate, having a hard time controlling the flow during urination, overly frequent urination, especially during the night, a weak urination flow or one that stops and starts, pain or burning during urination, impotence, and blood in the urine or semen.

Keep in mind that during the most initial stage of this disease, there may be no prostate cancer early symptoms. Therefore screenings for this disease will not be successful for every visit to the doctor. Also there is a type of similar and common problem that will resemble prostate cancer called benign prostatic hyperplasia which is a growth of benign prostate cells. Most men over fifty in the United States have symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. It also will prevent the normal flow of urine, just like regular prostate cancer.

The FDA has approved something called a prostate-specific antigen test, also called a PSA test. This, together with a digital rectal exam would be one of the most modern ways of verifying a prostate cancer symptom. The PSA test is usually given to men over age fifty, but can be used also with men who are younger and at higher risk. The PSA test involves a blood test for specific proteins that point to a man developing this disease. The PSA test is helping to save men’s lives through early detection.

The prostate cancer symptoms mentioned above in this article are considered advanced prostate cancer symptoms and should be taken seriously. Having just one or two symptoms does not necessarily mean you will have this disease but they are of course a part of the risk factor. The most common risk factor is age. Men over the age of sixty five are the majority of those diagnosed with prostate cancer. If any of these prostate cancer symptoms should be noticeable to you a quick trip to your health professional should do away with any doubts. This disease can be defeated if the warning symptoms of your prostate are verified early on.