Who should be screened regularly for prostate cancer?
Men over age 50 should have an annual rectal exam and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.
People at high risk (e.g., family history of prostate cancer) should begin screening at age 45.
What are the signs that indicate a possible prostate problem and that you should seek medical attention as soon as possible?
See your doctor for further testing if you experience the following symptoms:
- Hard to pass urine
- Frequent urination
- Painful urination
- Painful ejaculation
- Hemorrhagic semen and hematuria
If you experience any of the following symptoms, go to the nearest hospital emergency room immediately:
- Urinary tract infection: burning sensation during urination, urgency and frequency, especially when accompanied by fever.
- Bladder obstruction: no or little urine even after taking in enough fluid; little urine even after straining to urinate; pain in the lower abdomen due to a full bladder.
- Acute renal failure: no or little urine even with adequate fluid intake, but no significant discomfort.
- Deep bone pain (especially in the back, buttocks, and thighs) or fractures: a possible sign of advanced prostate cancer bone metastases.
Spinal cord compression is an acute condition that can be a sign of cancer appearing early. This happens when cancer spreads to the vertebrae in the spine and tailbone region. The weak vertebrae may collapse over the spinal cord, producing symptoms and causing dysfunction.
Symptoms depend on the degree of spinal cord compression, and typical symptoms of acute spinal cord compression include:
- Weakness in the legs and difficulty walking
- Increasing difficulty urinating or defecating
- Incontinence
- Decreased sensation, numbness or tingling in the groin or legs
These symptoms often occur before hip pain (usually unilateral) or back pain that lasts for days to weeks, and require urgent treatment close to home, which may lead to permanent spinal cord injury if treatment is delayed.