Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer

prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Ask your doctor about getting a prostate cancer screening test.prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, and second only to lung cancer in the number of cancer deaths. In 2005 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), 185,895 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 28,905 men died from it.* CDC provides men, doctors, and policymakers with the latest information about prostate cancer.

SymptomsDifferent people have different symptoms for prostate cancer. Some men do not have symptoms at all. Some symptoms of prostate cancer are:
Difficulty in starting urination
Weak, or interrupted flow of urine
Frequent urination, especially at night
Difficulty in emptying the bladder completely
Pain or burning during urination
Blood in the urine or semen
Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that doesn't go away
Painful ejaculation

If you have any symptoms that worry you, be sure to see your doctor right away. These symptoms may be caused by conditions other than prostate cancer.

Risk FactorsWhile there is no way to know for sure if you will get prostate cancer, most men who have the following factors may have a greater chance of getting prostate cancer:

Age: Men older than 50 years.

Family history: Having a father, brother, or son who has had prostate cancer.

Race: Black.

Screening for prostate cancerNot all medical experts agree that screening for prostate cancer will save lives. Currently, there is not enough credible evidence to decide if the potential benefit of prostate cancer screening outweighs the potential risks. The potential benefit of prostate cancer screening is early detection of cancer, which may make treatment more effective. Potential risks include false positive test results (the test says you have cancer when you do not), treatment of prostate cancers that may never affect your health, and mild to serious side effects from treatment of prostate cancer.

Most organizations recommend that men discuss with their doctors the benefits and risks of prostate cancer screening. CDC supports informed decision making, which encourages men to talk with their doctors to learn the nature and risk of prostate cancer, understand the benefits and risks of the screening tests, and make decisions consistent with their preferences and values.

Tests that are commonly used to screen for prostate cancer are:

Digital rectal exam (DRE): A doctor or nurse will insert a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to feel the prostate. This allows the examiner to estimate the size of the prostate and feel for any lumps or other abnormalities.

Prostate specific antigen test (PSA): The PSA test is a blood test that measures the level of PSA in the blood.The levels of PSA in the blood can be higher in men who have prostate cancer.

Is prostate cancer screening right for you? The decision is yours. To help men aged 50 years or older understand both sides of the issue, CDC has developed several helpful guides:

prostate cancer Screening: A Decision Guide presents a balanced approach to the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening and enables men, their families, and physicians to make a decision that is right for them.

prostate cancer Screening: A Decision Guide for African Americans targets African-American men. At all ages, African-American men die of prostate cancer more often than other men do. The reasons for the variation among groups are unknown, making it critical that African-American men know the facts about prostate cancer and the available screening tests.