Prostate cancer symptoms
This page tells you about the symptoms of prostate cancer. There is information on
Prostate cancer symptoms
The most common symptoms of prostate cancer and an enlarged prostate that is not cancerous are the same. They are
- Having to rush to the toilet to pass urine
- Difficulty in passing urine
- Passing urine more often than usual, especially at night
- Pain on passing urine
- Blood in the urine or semen
What causes the symptoms?
With both prostate cancers and non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, the symptoms are usually caused because the growth presses on the urethra and blocks the flow of urine.
Remember - if you have any symptoms you should be checked by your doctor. But most enlargements of the prostate are benign. That means they are not cancer and can be easily treated.
Other symptoms of prostate cancer
Cancer of the prostate often grows slowly, especially in older men. Symptoms may be mild and occur over many years. Sometimes the first symptoms are from prostate cancer cells which have spread to your bones. This may cause pain in your back, hips, pelvis or other bony areas. This is known as secondary prostate cancer.
As men get older their prostate gland often enlarges. This is usually not due to cancer. It is a condition called 'benign prostatic hyperplasia'.
The symptoms of both benign and malignant tumours are similar and include
- Having to rush to the toilet to pass urine
- Difficulty in passing urine
- Passing urine more often than usual, especially at night
- Pain on passing urine
- Blood in the urine or semen
The last two symptoms - pain and bleeding - are rare in prostate cancer.
With both prostate cancers and non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, the symptoms are usually caused because the larger prostate
- Presses on the urethra
- Blocks the flow of urine
Remember
- if you have any symptoms you should be checked by your doctor. But most enlargements of the prostate are benign. That means they are not cancer and can be easily treated.
Cancer of the prostate gland often grows slowly, especially in older men. Symptoms may be mild and occur over many years. Sometimes the first symptoms are from prostate cancer cells which have spread to your bones. This may cause pain in your
- Back
- Hips
- Pelvis
- Other bony areas
Cancer that has spread to other areas of the body is called metastatic or secondary prostate cancer. In this section of CancerHelp UK, there is information about the treatment of prostate cancer that has spread.
Other symptoms that may occur are weight loss, particularly in elderly men, and difficulty getting an erection (where you haven't had difficulty before).
GPs have guidelines suggesting what they should look out for, and when they should send you to a specialist for tests. The guidelines say that men who have suspicious symptoms should be offered a PSA blood test and a rectal examination. If your PSA level is slightly raised (a borderline result), the guidelines say you should have another PSA test in 1 to 3 months time to check if it is going up or is staying the same.
If you have a suspicious PSA reading and other symptoms that could be related to prostate cancer, the guidelines say your GP should consider referring you to a specialist urgently.
Remember - your GP may decide to delay doing a PSA test sometimes. There are a few situations that can affect the reading and make it less accurate. For example, if you have a urine infection. A test should be delayed for a month after you've had treatment for a urine infection. If your GP wants to delay doing a test, just ask them to explain why.
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