What are the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer?

Doctor's Answers 1

Early prostate cancer is usually asymptomatic i.e. there are no symptoms. Men with prostate cancer are usually detected based on abnormal examination during digital rectal examination where nodules are felt on the prostate gland and/or due to abnormal blood investigations (elevated serum prostate-specific antigen levels).

When the cancer is locally advanced, the patient may present with LUTS or lower urinary tract symptoms (e.g. urgency, slow stream) or even blood in the urine.

Prostate cancer tends to spread to the bone. Hence patient may present with bone pain and other constitutional symptoms like loss of weight or loss of appetite.

Do note that as a man ages, his prostate will increase in size. This is known as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Prostate cancer can coexist with BPH. Symptoms of BPH would be LUTS. This explains why the urologist would always do a digital rectal examination and check the serum PSA levels when men present with LUTS due to an enlarged prostate.

Men with a family history of prostate cancer are at higher risk of developing this cancer. These men are advised to see a urologist early for assessment of their risk of having prostate cancer.

Similar Questions

When should men start to undergo prostate cancer screening?

Men without any family history of prostate cancer should undergo annual prostate checks from the age of 50 years old. Men with a family history of prostate cancer should start prostate checks from the age of 40 years old. These annual checks should be conducted till the age of 70 years old. The checks can be done by specialists such as urologists, or family physicians. The checks involve a prostate finger examination and PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood tests.

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Answered By

Dr Siew Hong Ho

Urologist

Can certain dietary intake, such as omega-3 fatty acids, increase the risk of prostate cancer?

It is quite clear that diet does play a role in the development of prostate cancer. Japanese men have 3x less prostate cancer than men born in the United States. However, the sons of Japanese immigrants to the United States have a higher rate of prostate cancer that approaches that of Caucasians born in the United States. Much of this increase in prostate cancer is likely from the adoption of the “Western” diet and lifestyle [1]. This is further supported by a recent analysis of the available evidence based on population studies.

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