Like other cancers, prostate cancer begins when a body’s cells grow out of control and spread to other areas. It’s the second most common cancer 1 in American men, behind skin cancer, with 1 in 9 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Although prostate problems mainly happen to men as they have a prostate, women can get prostate cancer as well; it is a rare risk, but it can happen.
Whether you are a man or woman, it’s important to understand the warning signs of prostate cancer so that it can be caught early. Early signs of prostate cancer may not show but understanding what a prostate cancer symptom may look like is important. Many patients wonder what are the 5 warning signs of prostate cancer?. Well, most early prostate cancers don’t show symptoms and are found through blood tests (PSA) or digital rectal exams (DRE).
Usually, when prostate cancer shows signs, it’s often diagnosed at a later stage and conventional or holistic treatment for prostate cancer would be needed. However, we’ll take a closer look at the warning signs in this article, but as an overview, these prostate cancer symptoms typically involve the urinary system (due to the prostate’s proximity to the urethra and the bladder).
1. Issues with Urinating
When it comes to prostate warning signs, the urinary system is one of the main parts of the body to keep an eye on. If you’re having any issues with urination, this could be a sign that something is not quite right with the prostate. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, we suggest speaking to your doctor. Symptoms such as frequent urination, urinary incontinence, weak or interrupted urine flow, or experiencing the urge to frequently urinate at night, speak to your doctor. Although it’s a less common symptom, pain or burning during urination is also something to be aware of.
2. Blood in Semen or Urine
Blood in both the urine and seminal fluid is key to look for. As a tumor develops in the prostate gland, it can grow, causing it to press on the urethra, surrounding glands, and blood vessels. As this happens 2, structures can become irritated (or blocked), which leads to bloody urine or semen. Down the line, blood in the semen or urine can also happen as a result of common prostate cancer treatment options.
3. Bodily Pain and Discomfort
An enlarged prostate will cause discomfort or pain while sitting down. If the cancer has extended beyond the prostate gland, individuals might also experience 3 swelling in the lower back and pain in the back or hips.
4. Erectile Dysfunction
Another one of the signs and symptoms to look out for when it comes to prostate cancer is erectile dysfunction. If there is a new onset of erectile dysfunction, it’s especially important to talk to your healthcare provider. Although erectile dysfunction can be caused by things other than prostate cancer, it is one of the symptoms that can be easily monitored at home. Painful ejaculation is another early symptom of prostate cancer.
5. Weakness or Numbness
One of the major risk factors of prostate cancer is weakness or numbness in the feet or legs. This is because prostate cancer spreads and puts pressure on the spinal cord. This symptom is a more serious one, as this is not one of the signs of early prostate cancer. This is an advanced prostate cancer symptom that can also cause a loss of bladder or bowel control.
PSA Levels
PSA levels are another warning sign of prostate cancer, though analyzing these levels is done by your doctor through a PSA test. The most common first sign of recurrent prostate cancer is a rise in PSA levels. Because early prostate cancers don’t show symptoms, most prostate cancers 4 are found through a blood test (PSA) or digital rectal exam (DRE). The PSA blood test has to do with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA). This is a type of protein that’s made by both healthy and cancer cells within the prostate. PSA is mostly found in the semen, with small amounts found in the blood.
The PSA test 5 calculates the level of PSA in the blood. After the blood sample has been sent to a laboratory, the results usually come back in a measurement of nanograms of PSA per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood. In men who have prostate cancer, the blood level of PSA is often higher. Several non-cancerous conditions can cause the PSA level to rise, such as prostatitis, which is inflammation of the prostate and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is entails an enlarged prostate. Although the evidence doesn’t show that these two conditions lead to prostate cancer, a man can have these conditions and then develop prostate cancer.
PSA levels can fluctuate over time in the same man, and there is no specific level of PSA in the blood that is considered normal or abnormal. In the past, doctors thought levels of 4.0 ng/mL and below to be normal – and would recommend a prostate biopsy for men whose PSA level was above this. Recent studies have shown that some men with PSA levels below 4.0 ng/mL have prostate cancer – and some with PSA levels above 4.0 ng/mL do not have prostate cancer.
If you’ve noticed any of these symptoms, you may be at risk of having prostate cancer, and it’s essential to contact your health care professional so they can determine if you should get a prostate cancer screening. Sometimes, men that have prostate cancer will not show these symptoms, that is why we recommend getting checked regularly through a rectal exam. Alternatively, other non-cancerous conditions of the prostate can share similar symptoms. If you’re experiencing urinary symptoms, this can also be the cause of a bladder infection. Remember, diseases and cancers are different for everyone. If there is the slightest chance you are asking yourself- is prostate cancer hereditary in my family? You might want to be more aware of these signs and symptoms.
When prostate cancer is diagnosed, it falls into one of four stages based on three factors. These factors include tumor size and location, the number of lymph nodes involved, and metastasis, or how far the cancer has spread.
Recurrent Symptoms
When prostate cancer returns after treatment, it is referred to as recurrent 6 . It is known as a local recurrence when the cancer returns to the area around the prostate. It’s considered metastatic prostate cancer if it’s found in other parts of the body. When cancer has grown beyond the prostate, it often spreads and develops in the nearby lymph nodes and then spreads to the liver, bones, and lungs. When the cancer is recurrent, the first symptom may be a rise in PSA levels, as mentioned above. Depending on where the cancer has spread, other symptoms might include difficulty urinating and blood in the urine. There might be lower back pain, feelings of fatigue, and difficulty breathing. Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, is another symptom.
Advanced Symptoms
If the cancer has extended beyond the prostate gland, men may experience advanced advanced prostate cancer symptoms 7 like pain in the hips, thighs, back, shoulders, or other bones. There might be swelling or a buildup of fluid in the feet or legs, random weight loss, fatigue, or change in bowel habits. There may be bone pain that doesn’t go away, or that leads to fractures.
Causes and Risk Factors of Prostate Cancer
It isn’t clear as to why cells in the prostate mutate and multiply. However, based on studies, there are a handful of risk factors that might lead men to develop prostate cancer. These include age, race, genetic history, and obesity.
- Age: As age increases, the risk of prostate cancer is greater.
- Race: As a common occurrence across many cancers, African-American men have an increased risk of prostate cancer compared to men of other races. They also have a greater chance of having aggressive prostate cancer.
- Genetic History: If prostate cancer has affected any of the men in your family, or breast cancer has affected the women, your likelihood of developing it is greater.
- Obesity: Mostly, every form of cancer has a link between unhealthy weight and cancer. Obese patients usually have a greater risk of having a more aggressive prostate cancer.
The Next Steps
Now that we’ve covered what the five warning signs of prostate cancer are, along with a variety of other prostate cancer information, you might be curious about the next steps. As a common cancer, it’s important to understand what needs to be done for prostate health.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s important to know that holistic treatment for prostate cancer is an option. At Immunity Therapy Center, we utilize natural cancer treatment options to restore health and wellness to the body and the spirit. Our treatments serve to strengthen the immune system while simultaneously targeting the prostate cancer cells. We know that each person and each cancer is unique. That’s why the type and combination of therapies we use vary depending on the individual.
If you’re interested in learning more or hearing about your options for advanced natural prostate cancer treatment, reach out to us today. With a holistic approach to prostate cancer, and the ability to combine therapies in a customized treatment program, we give our patients the best chance of an enhanced quality of life, improved prognosis, and remission.
Our medicine is focused on not just prostate cancer cells, but on immunotherapy cancer therapy that will boost your immune system’s ability to fight on its own. When the immune system isn’t strong enough to fight cancer or has been weakened by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and other conventional treatments, in many cases, it doesn’t recognize you have cancer at all. This is why immunotherapy cancer treatment is so valuable and why we’re happy to be leaders of natural cancer treatment centers in Mexico.
We look forward to hearing from you – and helping you heal in body, mind, and spirit. At Immunity Therapy Center, we’re passionate about what we do and dedicated to attentive and individualized relationships with every patient.
Written By: Dr. David Alvarez
Dr. David Alvarez is a Board Certified Medical Doctor from Universidad Xochicalco and Certified by the American Heart Association (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support).
Dr. Alvarez has been collaborating with Dr. Bautista as an Assistant Medical Director at the Immunity Therapy Center for over 6 years. He provides daily on site patient care and participates on the medical board on research and development of patient treatment plans and programs. Dr. Alvarez is a knowledgeable and compassionate Doctor committed to helping patients get to where they want to be health wise through a more holistic and comprehensive approach.
Sources
- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
- https://prostatecancer.net/symptoms/blood-urine-semen/
- https://moffitt.org/cancers/prostate-cancer/faqs/what-are-the-five-warning-signs-of-prostate-cancer/
- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/how-diagnosed.html
- https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/psa-fact-sheet
- https://zerocancer.org/learn/survivors/recurrence/
- https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/prostate-cancer/symptoms-and-signs
At Immunity Therapy Center, our goal is to provide objective, updated, and research-based information on all health-related topics. This article is based on scientific research and/or other scientific articles. All information has been fact-checked and reviewed by Dr. Carlos Bautista, a Board Certified Medical Doctor at Immunity Therapy Center. All information published on the site must undergo an extensive review process to ensure accuracy. This article contains trusted sources with all references hyperlinked for the reader's visibility.