Prostate Cancer

Prostate CancerProstate cancer remains the most common cancer among all men, second only to skin cancer. It is estimated that 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.

Some risk factors for prostate cancer include:

  1. Age: Beginning at age 50, there is a rapid increase in prostate cancer. Two out of three prostate cancers are found in men over the age of 65.
  2. Race: Prostate cancer is more prevalent among African-American men. Not only is an African-American man more likely to have prostate cancer, but the is twice as likely to pass away from it.
  3. Family history: If you have a father or brother with a history of prostate cancer before age 65, you should talk to your doctor about testing for prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is detected through a combination of a digital rectal examination (DRE) and a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test.

 

For more information, please call 573-406-5800


What Are the Symptoms of Prostate Cancer?

There are no warning signs of early prostate cancer. Once a tumor causes the prostate gland to swell, or once cancer spreads beyond the prostate, the following symptoms may happen:

-A frequent need to urinate, especially at night
-Difficulty starting or stopping a stream of urine
-A weak or interrupted urinary stream
-Leaking of urine when laughing or coughing
-Inability to urinate standing up
-A painful or burning sensation during urination or ejaculation
-Blood in urine or semen

These are not symptoms of the cancer itself; instead, they are caused by the blockage from the cancer growth in the prostate. They can also be caused by an enlarged, noncancerous prostate or by a urinary tract infection.

Symptoms of advanced prostate cancer include:

-Dull, deep pain or stiffness in the pelvis, lower back, ribs, or upper thighs; pain in the bones of those areas
-Loss of weight and appetite, fatigue, nausea, or vomiting
-Swelling of the lower extremities
-Weakness or paralysis in the lower limbs, often with constipation

Call Your Doctor About Prostate Cancer If:

You have trouble urinating or find that urination is painful or different from normal; your doctor should examine your prostate gland to determine whether it is enlarged, inflamed with an infection, or cancerous.