Copyright © Prostate Cancer International, Inc. The following article was reproduced with permission from The "New" Prostate Cancer InfoLink on 11/24/2009. All rights reserved. http://prostatecancerinfolink.net

Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer

Introduction

Signs are physical changes that can be detected by anybody. They may include such things as swelling, smell (odor), sensitivity to touch, and abnormal test results.
Symptoms are discomforts that are normally known only to the patient: e.g., pain, nausea, and a burning sensation when you urinate.
Most signs and symptoms are not specific to any one medical condition. For example, redness of the eyes can be from allergies or a bad hangover; abdominal pain can be from gallstones or a bad case of indigestion.
Diagnosis of any disorder always begins with an evaluation of many signs and symptoms. With prostate cancer, we rely on signs and symptoms to suggest but not to establish diagnosis.
There are no signs or symptoms of prostate cancer which can be easily assessed by the patient himself. This makes prostate cancer very different from breast cancer or testicular cancer, in which regular self examination can be important in finding early signs of the disease.
Here is a very important point: early stage prostate cancer causes no symptoms.  BUT … just because you have no symptoms does not mean that there is no cancer. You can have a potentially life threatening, early stage prostate cancer even if you have no symptoms.
By comparison, late stage prostate cancer can and commonly does cause symptoms. For example, late stage prostate cancer can cause severe need to urinate (“urgency”), and if it involves the bones of the spine, prostate cancer can cause terrible pain.
Despite the fact that prostate cancer has no definitive set of symptoms, all of the following have been identified by the National Cancer Institute as possible indicators of prostate cancer — and of many other clinical problems:

    * Needing to urinate often (especially at night)
    * Not being able to urinate
    * Trouble starting to urinate or trouble holding back urination
    * A weak or interrupted urine flow
    * Pain or a burning feeling during urination
    * Difficulty having an erection
    * Pain during ejaculation
    * Blood in the semen or in the urine
    * Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.