Warning Signs: Do I Have Prostate Cancer?

Have you needed the toilet much more than usual? Felt a burning sensation while you pee? Or perhaps a painful ache in your pelvis just hasn’t gone away. You could wait a little longer, but a niggling worry makes you wonder if it’s actually a sign of something bigger. Here, we’ll cover common prostate cancer symptoms and warning signs, and highlight which ones indicate a sure sign of needing to get to your doctor’s office.

While scary, problems with your urinary tract and erectile function can stem from a wide range of causes. They aren’t always a sign of the worst, and most likely, something other than cancer is behind them. Prostate cancer, in particular, rarely shows obvious signs in its early stages. Instead, around 85% of cases rely on detection by early screening recommendations. However, if you are at higher risk of prostate cancer (e.g. due to family history, age or genetics) and facing issues with urination or erectile dysfunction, testing for prostate cancer may be right for you.

If you’ve often been disturbed by the following problems, you should see your doctor as soon as possible:

• Difficulty in starting to urinate, or completely emptying your bladder
• Urinating more frequently, notably at night
• Interruptions or a weakened flow of urine
• Burning sensation or pain while urinating
• Blood present in your urine or semen
• Erectile dysfunction or pain during ejaculation
• Recurring pelvic or lower back pain
• Persisting discomfort in the perineal region

Though unlikely, it should also be noted that if you experience bone pain, swelling in the lower half of your body and unexplained weight loss together with the urination and ejaculation difficulties listed above, this may be a sign of advanced prostate cancer.

Generally, although the symptoms above are typically seen in prostate cancer, some also commonly overlap with the following less-serious conditions:

• Enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia
  • Causes issues with urination for around half of men over 60
• Kidney stones
  • Blockage of the urinary tract can cause pain while urinating or blood in your urine
  • Around 1 in 11 in the US may experience kidney stones in their life
• Inflamed prostate or prostatitis
  • Causes painful and difficult urination, or difficulties with ejaculation
  • Up to 16% of men in the US may face this issue
• Urinary tract infections
  • Causes painful, difficult, uncomfortable or increased urination
  • Around 1 in 5 men may experience a urinary tract infection at least once in their life
• Erectile dysfunction related to other factors (e.g. aging, smoking or cardiovascular disease)

It’s therefore good to remember that even if you do have a few of these symptoms, they may not always be due to prostate cancer. Your body may instead be highlighting other underlying issues that should get medical attention.

Ultimately, if difficulties with urination or ejaculation are starting to inconvenience your life or affect your relationships, it would be a good time to consider discussing your concerns with your doctor, rather than suffering silently. A good habit would be to keep track of your symptoms, so that it's easier to understand if they’re worsening or improving over time.