Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer occuring in older men today. There is no exact age, but from 50 years onwards you may begin to exhibit some symptoms. Prostate cancer symptoms might or might not manifest in a man suffering from this condition. Being a slow developing type of cancer, some men who have the disease might not even know that they have it. Prostate cancer symptoms are not evident in its early stage. Screening for prostate cancer is relatively simple to do, with an annual prostate examination and PSA test . Most patients with prostate cancer will be identified and with a relatively high chance of cure. Screening for diseases is a fact of modern medicine. For prostate cancer, the issue is complex, as the overall benefit to patients is far from clear.

Screening means testing for cancer before you have any symptoms. A screening test can often help find cancer at an early stage. Prostate cancer symptoms are the key to determining if one has a possibility of developing prostate cancer. With early self-diagnosis, one can make a detour away from the deadly route of prostate cancer. Urinary difficulties and incontinence are characteristic of early stage prostate cancer symptoms. Men often experience frequent urination, although the amount of urine passed may be quite small. Urinary incontinence often follows childbirth or menopause. Urine or prostatic fluid cytology may reveal unusual looking cells. Also keep in mind that experts report that PSA tests are not reliable and they are looking for better ways to diagnose prostate cancer. Urine or prostatic fluid cytology may reveal unusual cells.

However, in people who do have prostate cancer the presence of blood in the urine may be an indicator that the condition is advanced and has spread from the prostate and into the bladder or urethra. Blood tests will usually confirm diagnosis. If left untreated the disease can get serious and lead to kidney, liver, eye, and brain damage. Pain in the bladder or frequent urge for urinating are other symptoms which might indicate bladder cancer. However, none of these symptoms can be conclusively related to bladder cancer. Pain and stiffness in the lower back, hips, upper thighs and the pelvic area can besymptoms of prostate cancer that has already spread. If these prostate cancer symptoms appear, a visit to the doctor is most imperative. Hopefully, with increased awareness of prostate problems, fewer men will present at this late stage of the disease and get treatment before it becomes a problem.