16 Common Symptoms and Signs of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is very difficult to detect in its early stages, which is why the disease is so common. About 50% of prostate cancer patients are 75 years old and older. As a result, the symptoms of the disease are often overlooked and passed off as side effects of old age. Therefore it is important to be aware of the signs of prostate cancer.

Sadly, the seriousness of prostate cancer is often overlooked or disregarded by many men, probably due to the social stigma of being poked and prodded by a doctor during a prostate exam. Be aware though that the longer you allow the disease to progress, the more difficult it is to successfully treat. The highest chances of survival result from early detection. Some physicians recommend an annual blood test to look for the presence of prostate cancer, although other believe this may not be necessary.

Many of the more common symptoms and signs of prostate cancer are listed below. You should understand that many of these signs can result from other problems as well, so prostate cancer may not always be the culprit. But if you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms on a regular basis, it is best to consult a medical professional in order to obtain a proper diagnosis of your problem. Some common signs of prostate cancer are:

• Difficulty urinating
• An increased frequency of the urge to urinate, especially at night
• The inability to feel that you have fully emptied your bladder
• Taking a long time to finish urination, with the last part of the urine stream coming out as a dribble
• Pain during urination
• A much weaker urine stream than you are used to
• Pain during ejaculation
• Blood found in the urine
• Pain felt in the genital area
• Trouble achieving or maintaining an erection
• Lower back pain
• Pain in the pelvic and hip area
Because prostate cancer can develop in the early stages without any obvious signs, many men don't realize they have a problem until developing more dangerous symptoms such as:
• Unwanted weight loss
• Extreme fatigue
• Pain isolated in the bones of the thighs, hips, neck and back
• Anemia

It should also be noted that the risk of prostate cancer increases if you have a family history of the disease. If you have a close male relative that was diagnosed with prostate cancer, such as a father or brother, then your risk is three times higher. If the close male relative was diagnosed before 60 years old, then your risk goes up four times. Additionally, even if your male relative is not as closely related as a brother or father, annual examinations are very important after the age of 50.

The age of your male relatives when they developed the disease is important. Younger sufferers, under the age of 60, are much more likely to have a mutated gene that is responsible for the cancer. As a result, your risk also increases since you are likely to possess the same faulty gene. Unfortunately at this time, there is no way of accurately testing for this, so the best thing you can do is have your prostate gland regularly checked by your physician. The earlier the problem is detected, the higher your chances of successful treatment.

Are you looking for information about signs of prostate cancer? For more important information about prostate cancer symptoms, the prostate gland, and prostate cancer prevention and treatments, please visit http://www.onlineprostatehealth.com/ for more information.