Prostate cancer is a tumor that grows within the prostate gland found in all males. Warning signs consist of a combination of symptoms and subjective reports from the patient himself. Often symptoms are absent early in the disease due to the location of the tumor itself, and often symptoms result from spread of the tumor, which can suggest a worsening prognosis.
Bone Pain
This ominous symptom is a result of tumor spread, or metastasis, into various bones of the skeleton. Most commonly the spread is to the axial bones, which include the lumbar spine. Once this occurs, surgery is not an option and other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation are explored.
Anemia
Patients with anemia can often present with constant fatigue. This is due to replacement of the bone marrow with cancer cells, which results in decreased amount of red blood cells in the active circulation. Since red blood cells are the primary carriers of oxygen in the body, this results in constant fatigue and malaise.
Urinary Obstruction
Prostatic cancer can grow into various parts of the urinary tract such as the urethra or bladder neck and result in obstruction to urine flow. Symptoms can include urinary hesitancy, dribbling, incomplete voiding, increased nighttime voiding and increased frequency of urination.
Sexual Side Effects
The tumor can grow to involve some of the nerves in the pelvis and ejaculatory ducts, which can result in altered sexual function. Symptoms can include impotency, blood in the ejaculate (hematospermia) and decreased ejaculate volume.
References
- "Campbell-Walsh Urology, 9th Edition"; Wein; 2007
- "Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice"; Risk Factors, Prevention, and Early Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer; Loeb, S. Volume 36, September 2009
