Prostate cancer is among the most common cancers that you as a man can have – and it’s the second deadliest cancer among men after lung cancer. There are many prostate cancer treatments, including traditional means and MRI fusion biopsies, but how do you know which one is the best option for you? It can be hard to know, but it starts with recognizing the symptoms, then getting diagnosed.
However, prostate cancer symptoms can be confusing, as they are not uniform from man to man. Some men never experience symptoms while others aren’t sure if their symptoms are of actual cancer or of normal body functions. At the Prostate Cancer Institute of LA, where we specialize in diagnosing and treating men with prostate cancer, we understand your confusion.
A Brief Overview
First of all, a diagnosis of prostate cancer is not a death sentence. Although many men do succumb to it, usually it’s because the cancer wasn’t detected early enough, or it was improperly diagnosed or treated.
Your prostate is a gland about the size of a walnut in your reproductive system. It is beneath your bladder, which is in front of your rectum and surrounds your upper urethra, the tube through which urine empties from your bladder. Your prostate regulates bladder control, nourishes your sperm, and produces the fluid responsible for mobilizing your semen during orgasm.
Because of this close symbiotic relationship between your prostate and both your urinary and sexual reproductive systems, most symptoms of prostate cancer are tied to changes in your urinary or sexual habits.
4 Crucial Symptoms That Could Signify Prostate Cancer
Not all men experience prostate cancer symptoms. Often, early detection of prostate cancer isn’t done until your doctor notices it during a regular check-up. However, a large number of men have changes in their sexual or urinary function that could be symptomatic of the disease.
Here are four crucial symptoms of prostate cancer:
Urinary Changes
Many men discount changes to their urine habits as being cancer symptoms because some of them can also signify other, unrelated conditions. For example, one of the main symptoms is a frequent need to urinate (particularly at night), which often can be nothing more than a result of drinking water or other liquids too close to bedtime.
Other changes to watch out for:
- Difficulty holding in urine
- Difficulty starting to urinate once at the toilet
- Weak, interrupted urine flow
- Painful, burning sensation while urinating
If you experience any of these, particularly the last two, on a persistent basis, you should schedule a prostate cancer detection consultation or exam soon.
Sexual Ability Changes
Unfortunately, yet understandably, too many men get embarrassed if they or their partners notice any unwanted changes in their sexual performance, so they ignore them while hoping that they’ll eventually disappear on their own.
This is a dangerous game to play, as they usually don’t go away and can signify crucial issues that you shouldn’t ignore.
Here are sexual performance-related issues to watch out for:
- Difficulty getting an erection
- Painful ejaculation
- Blood in your urine or semen
Unexplained Swelling or Numbness
This does not refer to swelling or numbness of your prostate, penis, or testicles. Instead, if you’ve noticed unexplained swelling in your legs or the general pelvic region, especially if it persists, this could signify something serious.
Furthermore, numbness in your hips, legs, or feet, these could also mean the presence of cancer in your prostate. In fact, it could indicate that it has spread.
Unexplained Pain or Stiffness
If you have frequent stiffness or pain in your lower back, hips, or thighs that doesn’t come from exercise or injury, this could be a sign, especially that it has spread to other parts of your body.
Another area where you shouldn’t ignore persistent pain is in your bones. Not only could chronic pain result in a fracture, it can also indicate that cancer is spreading.
Early Detection of Prostate Cancer is the Key
Because early prostate cancer detection can be the difference between survival and death, don’t ignore the aforementioned symptoms, especially if they persist or if you experience more than one of them simultaneously. Make an appointment to have a consultation and a diagnostic exam as soon as you can.
Traditional Biopsy Method
Traditional methods of prostate cancer detection include the use of ultrasound. One or two tissue samples are taken from each of the six zones in your prostate where cancer most commonly forms (six to 12 samples in all). This is very good for seeing larger tumors.
However, this method often misses smaller cancerous areas, as does having an MRI alone. These exams often are repeated if malignant areas aren’t detected on the first try.
A New Method: MRI Fusion Biopsies
These innovative prostate cancer detection methods employ sophisticated technology for better precision in targeted prostate biopsy. They are quicker and more complete than other methods. MRI fusion biopsies combine MRI and ultrasound technology to accurately find cancer and precisely extract a sample.
They are short and minimally invasive, requiring only local anesthesia, and they can provide early detection of prostate cancer that might otherwise be undetectable. Also referred to as a fusion guided biopsy, it accesses your entire prostate (compared to the less than 5% that conventional means do), which allows it prostate cancer detection in hard-to-reach tissue that otherwise would not be detected.
Simply put, better diagnostics leads to earlier prostate cancer treatment – and can be the key to your survival.
In a Nutshell: Prostate Cancer Symptoms
- Most of the time prostate cancer has no symptoms and that is a reason for annual screening by your physician
- Risk factors: African-American ethnicity and family history of prostate cancer, age
- Symptoms can include urinary changes, sexual changes, unexplained pain in pelvis, blood in ejaculate or urine, and unexplained bone fractures
Prostate Cancer Questions? Contact the Prostate Cancer Specialists
Although some prostate cancer symptoms don’t mean you have the disease, don’t ignore any symptoms you do have, especially if they persist. To discuss your condition, contact an expert Los Angeles urologist at the Prostate Cancer Institute of LA online or at 310.499.2756.
Next, read 5 Ways Robotic Prostatectomy Beats Traditional Open Prostate Surgery