Prostate Cancer: Symptoms

In its early stages, prostate cancer doesn't usually cause any symptoms. The only way to know you have it is through a screening test. This is one of the advantages to following screening guidelines. As with any cancer, the earlier it's found the sooner you can discuss treatment choices with your doctor.

As prostate cancer progresses, some people have symptoms. But others don't. Some symptoms may be a sign that the cancer is growing larger or has spread outside the prostate. If that happens, you may need more extensive treatment.

Possible symptoms include:

1. A frequent need to urinate, especially at night
2. Trouble starting to urinate
3. Weak or interrupted urine flow
4. Trouble fully emptying the bladder
5. Not being able to urinate at all
6. Accidental urinating
7. Unable to control bowels
8. Painful or burning feeling when you urinate
9. Blood in your urine or semen
10. Pain or stiffness in your low back, hips, ribs, upper thighs, or other bones that doesn't go away
11. Trouble getting or keeping an erection
12. Weakness or numbness in legs or feet
13. Unexplained weight loss

Having one or more of these symptoms doesn't automatically mean you have prostate cancer, or that existing prostate cancer is getting worse. Other health conditions may cause the same symptoms and may not be related to cancer.

But you should not ignore any of these symptoms. So if you do notice one or more, contact your doctor as soon as you can. Only a doctor can tell if you have cancer.