Urologic Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Signs and Symptoms

Prostate cancer in its early stage often doesn't cause any symptoms. But prostate cancer can cause these problems:

• A need to urinate frequently, especially at night
• Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine
• Inability to urinate
• Weak or interrupted flow of urine
• Painful or burning urination
• Difficulty in having an erection
• Painful ejaculation
• Blood in urine or semen
• Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs

The prostate gland is located just below the bladder and surrounds the bottom portion of the urethra, the tube that drains urine from the bladder. The prostate's primary function is to produce most of the fluid in semen, including fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.

Most men experience a second period of prostate growth when they reach their mid-40s. At that time, cells in the central portion of the gland -- where the prostate surrounds the urethra -- reproduce more rapidly than normal. As tissues in the area enlarge, they often press on the urethra and partially block urine flow. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is the medical term for this condition, more commonly called BPH, which affects about half of men in their 60s and close to 80 percent of men in their 80s. For some men, the symptoms may be severe enough to require treatment. BPH is not a form of prostate cancer and will not predispose you to developing prostate cancer.

If prostate cancer develops, it may remain in the prostate or spread beyond that gland. If it spreads, it usually spreads to the bones or nearby lymph nodes. It also may grow locally and invade the bladder. When cancer spreads from its original location to another part of the body, the new tumor has the same abnormal cells as the primary tumor.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated April 19, 2007