The short answer
Early prostate cancer often causes no symptoms. When symptoms occur, they can include urinary changes like trouble urinating or a weak stream. These are more often caused by a non-cancer enlarged prostate.
Early prostate cancer often causes no symptoms.
When symptoms occur, they often involve urination.
Urinary symptoms are more often caused by a non-cancer enlarged prostate.
Blood in the urine or semen, or bone pain, can occur with more advanced disease.
Choose how you want to understand this
The full explanation.
The simple version
The prostate is a small gland below the bladder. Early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they often involve urination — but those symptoms are more often caused by a non-cancer enlarged prostate.
Possible signs
Symptoms, when present, can include:
- Trouble starting or stopping urination, or a weak stream
- Needing to urinate often, especially at night
- Blood in the urine or semen
- Bone pain, with more advanced disease
Often not cancer
Urinary symptoms are far more often caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (an enlarged prostate) than by cancer. Because they overlap, though, new symptoms are worth checking.
Urinary symptoms are usually from a non-cancer enlarged prostate, not cancer.
Screening is a choice
The PSA blood test can help detect prostate cancer early, but screening has both benefits and drawbacks. Talk with your doctor about whether PSA screening is right for you, based on your age and risk.
Words to know
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Common questions
▸What are the symptoms?
Early prostate cancer often causes none. Possible symptoms include trouble urinating, a weak or interrupted stream, needing to urinate often (especially at night), blood in the urine or semen, and, with advanced disease, bone pain.
▸Do urinary symptoms mean cancer?
Usually not. Urinary symptoms are far more often caused by a non-cancer condition called an enlarged prostate (BPH). But because they can overlap, new symptoms should be checked.
▸What is PSA screening?
PSA is a blood test that can be higher with prostate cancer. Screening is a personal decision with benefits and drawbacks — talk with your doctor about whether it is right for you.
▸When should I see a doctor?
See a doctor for new urinary symptoms, blood in the urine or semen, or unexplained bone pain, and to discuss whether PSA screening makes sense for you.
Questions to ask your doctor
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