Prostate cancer: What are the symptoms?

Did you know that over 40,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in the UK every year? This makes the cancer the most common cancer in men in the country. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, there’s a chance you may be suffering from prostate cancer and you should seek the immediate opinion of a medical professional.

Prostate cancer symptoms

Most of the time, prostate cancer doesn’t cause symptoms until the cancer grows so large that it puts pressure on the urethra. This typically leaves the sufferer with problems when urinating, which can include a need to urinate more often, especially at night, hesitancy when beginning to urinate, taking a long time to empty your bladder, straining when urinating, having a weak flow and feeling like you haven’t been able to fully empty your bladder.

If the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, sufferers may experience symptoms that include a loss of appetite, testicle pain, back and bone pain, and unexplained weight loss.

Prostate cancer causes

The exact causes of prostate cancer are not yet known, however, there are a number of factors that may increase your risk of developing the condition. This includes your age, ethnic group, family history, weight, the amount of exercise you get, and your diet. It’s always worth ensuring that you’re eating a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet, as well as getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week.

Prostate cancer treatment

The way that prostate cancer is treated will depend on the sufferer’s circumstances. For many men, treatment won’t be necessary, as the active surveillance method (also known as watchful waiting) will be applied. This means the sufferer and their health care professional will continuously monitor the cancer and will only start treatment if the cancer begins to cause symptoms or gets worse.

When treatment is needed, this involves a variety of different methods depending on the stage of the cancer, including a radical prostatectomy (removal of the prostate gland), radiotherapy and a high intensity focused ultrasound, amongst many other available treatments.

If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, you’ll need to speak to a medical professional as soon as possible. For more information, contact us at Harrogate Urology today.