What are the Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer?
Movember is an annual campaign each November dedicated to raising awareness of crucial men’s health issues, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health concerns like suicide prevention.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer affecting men in the UK. It usually develops slowly, meaning many men will not notice any early signs or symptoms. As a result, prostate cancer often does not get diagnosed until it has progressed significantly, which can impact both your prognosis and treatment options.
Knowing the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer to look out for and understanding more about your risk of the condition is key to taking a proactive approach to managing your health. In honour of men’s health, this month we share the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer you need to watch out for and share how you can monitor your risk, including having a prostate specific antigen test.
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is a specific type of cancer that affects the prostate gland. It usually develops slowly, so many men can live with prostate cancer for a long time before realising they have the condition.
What is the prostate gland?
The prostate gland is a small gland in the pelvis located between the penis and the bladder. The main function of the prostate is to produce a thick white fluid that forms semen when mixed with sperm produced in the testes.
Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer
In the early stages of prostate cancer, most men do not experience any signs or symptoms of the condition, making it difficult to detect.
Men usually only get early symptoms if the cancer is growing near the urethra (the tube you urinate through). This is because it can press on the urethra and change the way you urinate. In most cases, prostate cancer starts to grow in the outer part of the prostate, and it is only as the cancer grows or spreads that it starts to press on the urethra and cause symptoms.
The most common signs and symptoms of prostate cancer include:
- Difficulty starting to urinate
- Difficulty emptying your bladder
- A weak flow when you urinate
- Feeling like your bladder hasn’t emptied properly
- Dribbling urine after you have finished urinating
- Needing to urinate more frequently, often at night
- A sudden urge to urinate
- Pressure or pain in the rectum
It’s important to get checked out if you experience any of the above, as although they can indicate you may have prostate cancer, they can also be a sign of an enlarged prostate, a common and non-cancerous problem.
Either way, seeing your doctor is the only way to get a diagnosis and start treatment for your symptoms.
Signs and symptoms of progressed prostate cancer
If prostate cancer progresses and spreads to other parts of the body, it can cause other symptoms, including:
- Back, hip or pelvis pain
- Problems getting or keeping an erection
- Blood in the urine or semen
- Unexplained weight loss
What causes prostate cancer?
The causes of prostate cancer are not fully understood, but there are certain factors that can increase your risk of developing the condition. This can include:
- Your age – the older you are, the more at risk you are of developing prostate cancer
- Your ethnicity – for reasons not yet understood, the condition is less common in Asian men and more common in Black men
- Your family history – if a close relative has prostate cancer, your chances of developing it are slightly higher
- Your weight – there are some links between an increased risk of prostate cancer in those living with obesity
Understanding your risk factors is important as this can help you remain more vigilant for the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer which you may otherwise overlook.
Know your risk of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer affecting men. But as most men will not experience any early signs or symptoms of prostate cancer until it has progressed, knowing your risk is important to help minimise your risk.
Prostate Cancer UK has a free online risk checker that provides insights into your risk in just 30 seconds.
What to do if you’re worried about your risk of prostate cancer?
If you believe you are at an increased risk of prostate cancer or you have experienced some of the common symptoms of prostate cancer, you can request a prostate specific antigen test (PSA test).
This blood test specifically measures the level of PSA in your blood and can help detect prostate cancer in its early stages.
Raised PSA levels can indicate you may have prostate cancer, but they can also be raised due to other non-cancerous conditions. As a result, if your results come back elevated, you will likely be referred for further investigations, like an MRI scan of your prostate gland.
Private PSA tests with Bluecrest Wellness
If you are concerned that you may be at higher risk of developing prostate cancer and want to take a proactive approach to catching the condition early, consider booking a private PSA blood test.
At Bluecrest Wellness, we only recommend private PSA tests for men aged 40-79. The test can be added to any of our full-body health assessment packages, offering comprehensive insights into your overall health and wellbeing.
We use the latest technologies in all of our tests to ensure accurate results and all can be booked at a time and location that’s convenient for you. In addition, every full health assessment comes with a comprehensive Results Report and free access to a 24/7 GP helpline for a year for complete peace of mind following your health assessment.
