What are the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer symptoms in men: What you need to know

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men, but early detection can make a significant difference in treatment outcomes and quality of life. Understanding the symptoms of prostate cancer, both in early and advanced stages, is crucial for taking prompt action and receiving timely medical care. 

In the early stages of prostate cancer, there are usually no noticeable symptoms. According to a survey of the people ZERO serves, 94% of all patients received their prostate cancer diagnosis because of screening tests, not because they saw a doctor for specific symptoms.

Prostate cancer is almost always found through testing, such as a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test or digital rectal exam (DRE). A higher-than-average PSA score for your age and/or an abnormal DRE can make a life-saving difference for those with an aggressive form of the disease.

Early symptoms of prostate cancer

In its early stages, prostate cancer often presents no noticeable symptoms, making regular screening essential for early detection. When early symptoms do occur, they may be subtle or mimic signs of other conditions.

The prostate is a male organ, located where the urinary and reproductive systems meet, and it grows in size as men grow older. These same biological systems show the signs of prostate cancer in those rare cases where external symptoms appear:

• Urinary symptoms:
  • Strong urge to urinate immediately
  • Frequent nighttime urination
  • Pain and/or burning when urinating
  • Difficulty starting the urinary stream
  • A weak urinary stream once it starts
  • Dribbling after you’re finished
  • Frequent urinary tract infections
• Sexual symptoms:
  • Difficulty having an erection
  • Pain when ejaculating
  • Blood in the urine or semen

The best thing you can do to catch prostate cancer early is to have regular check-ups with your doctor, know your PSA score and risk factors (such as family history, race and ethnicity, military service, and age), and be screened once you're the appropriate age to get tested. 

Other prostate health issues with these symptoms

If you have concerns about the above symptoms, discuss them with your doctor. While they may not mean you stage I or stage II prostate cancer, there are other diseases that affect the prostate, such as:

• Enlarged prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or BPH)
• Inflammation (prostatitis)
• Overactive bladder or urinary tract infection (UTI)

The good news is that conditions like BPH are not associated with a higher chance of having prostate cancer. Learn more, including how these prostate-related diseases can be treated and managed improve your quality of life.

Advanced prostate cancer symptoms

When prostate cancer spreads to Stage III, it has moved to the tissue and bones nearby your prostate (hips, pelvis, lower spine, and ribs). In more advanced Stage IV prostate cancer, it has spread throughout your body. As a result, advanced prostate cancer symptoms tend to show in these systems of your body:

• Sudden, unexpected weight loss
• Nagging pain in the back, hips, genitals, or pelvis
• Bone pain, especially in multiple areas around the prostate (spine, ribs, and pelvis)
• Pain in lymph nodes throughout the body
• Shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, fatigue, and dizziness
• Pale skin caused by anemia
• Blood in the urine and semen

As with early-stage disease, these symptoms can be caused by other diseases than prostate cancer. But that doesn't mean they should be taken lightly. Especially if you have several of these warning signs, you should treat it as a sign of a more urgent healthcare problem, and you should talk your doctor as soon as possible.