5 Early Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Some statistics indicate that the survival rate of prostate cancer can be as high as 98 percent if the disease is caught in its early stages. But, how can one go about ensuring their prostate cancer gets diagnosed in time? Even with regular prostate screenings, the tumors have to be big enough to be noticeable. Well, you might not be able to catch prostate cancer at Stage 1, but if you pay attention to your body and let your doctor aware of anything unusual during your check-ups, you increase your chances of catching it as it goes into Stage 2. To appropriately do this, you need to be aware of the 5 early symptoms of prostate cancer. They are explained in greater detail below.

1. Urinary Difficulties

The first symptoms of prostate cancer are urinary difficulties. You may be wondering why urinary difficulties in this list of prostate cancer symptoms if the bladder is not the prostate gland? It's simple; as the tumors grow they press up against the organ, which is still very close to the prostate. When this happens a man will experience incontinence, trouble urinating at all, (despite incontinence) and a very low urine flow.

2. The Presence of Blood

Symptom 2 s even more alarming than urinary incontinence. It involves the presence of blood in a man's urine and/or semen.

3. Erectile Dysfunction

Of the symptoms listed in the here, erectile dysfunction makes the most sense, since the prostate gland is a sexual organ. However, erectile dysfunction is such a common problem among older men, they may not even suspect prostate cancer. They may think they are experiencing a psychological problem, or perhaps that they just need a dose of Viagra. Either way, it's not worth the risk. If you are experiencing erectile dysfunction, discuss it with your doctor to make sure prostate cancer can be fully ruled out.

4. Swelling in the Legs

How can swelling in the legs be on the list of the 5 early symptoms of prostate cancer? It's because when the disease starts to metastasize, it will spread into the lymph nodes. As a consequence the unhealthy lymph nodes will start to accumulate in the legs, resulting in swelling.

5. Pelvic Discomfort

Pelvic discomfort is on the list of the symptoms of prostate cancer because when the disease affects the lymph nodes, it can cause them to press up against the nerves in the pelvis, resulting in pain.

In conclusion, pay attention to the list of the 5 early symptoms of prostate cancer. If you are experiencing any of them, discuss the situation with your doctor. If he or she suspects you have prostate cancer, they will perform a series of tests including a general rectal exam, an ultrasound and blood tests. Should a tumor be found, they perform a biopsy to determine if it is prostate cancer.

You can learn more about prostate cancer as well as the symptoms of prostate cancer on my website http://www.SymptomsOfProstateCancer.info. My website includes a whole range of articles focusing on the problems caused by prostate cancer, treatments and of course what you should do if you think you have prostate cancer.

Are There Any Early Symptoms? Prostate Cancer Early Development

Like many other cancers, there are no typical early symptoms. Prostate cancer is not usually noticed when the tumor begins growing in the prostate. Complaints caused by the disease don't begin until relatively later stages.

Benign tumors usually grow on the inner side of the prostate. It constricts the urethra very quickly and makes itself known in the early stages through bladder emptying disorders.

Malignant tumors however usually develop on the outer zone of the prostate. This is why there are usually no complaints in the early stage. Only in the advanced stages of prostate cancer does the prostate grow enough to constrict the urethra. The consequences of this are frequent urination, especially at night, strong urges for urination and impotence.

Remember though that not every urination problem is a signal of prostate cancer. Benign prostate hyperplasia, or a benign tumor, is much more likely. Prostate inflammation or a urinary tract infection will also create similar symptoms.

If the tumor grows beyond the prostate, some pain might be felt in the genital area. Blood is often found in the urine or in semen. Sometimes the cancer will spread to the bone, specially in the area of the lumbar spine, which can be especially painful. Bone metastases are found in 6 out of 10 men with advanced prostate cancer.

Further associated symptoms are fever, fatigue, and unwanted weight loss. The earlier the cancer is detected, the better the chances of survival. Therefore, even if you have no symptoms, you should begin getting regular checkups to prevent any future problems.

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

Detecting Prostate Cancer Symptoms Early

It is still unknown what really causes prostate cancer but several risk factors have been discovered like family history, race, age or high fat diet.

Having a screening examination at fixed intervals is important to detect the cancer early. Looking for symptoms yourself is not enough because you can not detect it early enough. Once you have prostate cancer symptoms already, it is (too) late already. After the disease has broken out already, you could have symptoms like weak or interrupted urine flow, blood in the urine or a pain in the back, thighs or hips. There could also be a burning sensation.

It could be a matter of life or dead to detect the cancer as early as possible. The earlier the treatment starts the greater the chances of survival. This can be cured but only when it hasn't spread too much already.

The doctor will also put his digit into the rectum to feel any lumps in the prostate. If he finds any abnormalities, the doctor will order an blood test to find out if a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is in the blood. While low amounts of PSA are ok, a high amount of PSA is a strong sign for cancer. A trans rectal ultrasound examination is another option. This painless method gives a good picture of the gland within 20 minutes.

A biopsy is needed once the above tests indicate the occurrence of cancer. That means that the doctor must take a small sample of the tissue by using a needle. The sample is then checked under a microscope and if the sample is cancerous it is an exact diagnosis. The biopsy itself is a quick and rather painless method to diagnose prostate cancer.

Once it is detected, the doctor must find out how much it has spread already. An x-ray can show if the cancer has reached the lungs already. A computer tomography or magnetic resonance imaging can also make internal organs visible. Once it is diagnosed the treatment must start immediately. There are several different treatment options but still the surgery is the most effective way to totally remove the cancer. The treatment will need a team of doctors, an urologist, a surgeon and an oncologist. The surgery is not without risks and side effects so that some prefer alternative ways.

A good prognosis with a high survival rate of 95% can be given when it was detected very early and the surgery was successful. However, the later the cancer was diagnosed, the worse the statistics get. Less than 30% survive the next five years after the cancer was detected very late.
Early detection of prostate cancer symptoms and prostate cancer can save your life.

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.

Prostate Cancer Symptoms

Many men, in their lifetime, will experience symptoms that could indicate the presence of prostate cancer. Because prostate cancer symptoms can look like other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms should undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of their symptoms. The need to urinate frequently, especially at night is a common symptom of prostate cancer and other prostate problems like BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy), in other words an enlarged prostate.

Men have always been less likely to get medical attention than women, especially for minor problems which often serve as warning signs for a more serious underlying illness. You may have prostate symptoms right now that mimic prostate cancer symptoms. If you do get diagnosed with prostate cancer it's important to know that many men, especially those later in life, have made the decision with their doctors to simply watch and wait rather than undergo conventional cancer treatment. Many men decide to make dietary changes and work on approaching it with natural treatment.

To state it simply, cancer that grows in the prostate gland is called prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is characterized by the 'grade' and 'stage'. The grade is given to indicate how quickly a cancer is growing - the higher the grade, the more likely it's that the cancer will grow and spread rapidly and the size and extent of the tumor will determine its stage. It's estimated that approximately 234,460 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and approximately 27,350 will eventually die of the disease. And the most common cancer in American men, except for skin cancer, is prostate cancer.

For natural treatment options for the prostate make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor, called a naturopath; ask around for referrals, or find an M.D. with a natural medicine practice.

For part of a dietary approach no matter what treatment you decide on, if possible eliminate all hormone-containing foods like meat and dairy from your diet. Drink plenty of pure filtered water, at least a quart a day, to remain hydrated and help your body eliminate toxins.

Floramae Malazarte is a writer. She loves collecting books about Romance and Health. For more information on http://www.bestprostatehealthtips.com/ and prostate cancer symptoms go to http://www.bestprostatehealthtips.com/ Helen Hecker R.N.'s website specializing in prostate and prostate cancer tips, advice and resources, including information on prostate tests and natural prostate cancer treatments.