According to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, only following skin cancer. With this being the case, it is essential to understand the early stages of prostate cancer that come with it. If you are aware of what to look out for, you can catch this cancer at an earlier stage, making it easier to treat.
Recognizing The Early Stages Of Prostate Cancer
Recognizing the early stages of prostate cancer can make all of the difference. At Alliance Urology, we are here for you at every stage of your medical journey. If you begin to notice these symptoms in your own life, it may be time to schedule an appointment and see if something more serious is going on.
The vast majority of prostate cancers are NOT symptomatic until very late stages when they have spread to other organs such as the bones and are incurable. This is why annual screening with PSA (blood test) and exam are so important as they enable cancers to be detected while they are asymptomatic and still curable.
Occasionally prostate cancers can present with symptoms before they have spread such as:
Problems With Urination
Most of the early stages of prostate cancer occur in connection with urination. You may start to encounter a higher frequency of needing to urinate. You may also have a weaker flow of urine during these increased times. Each of these is often paired with pain during urination while also feeling like you have not emptied your bladder entirely. Finally, you may encounter blood in the urine.
The combination of each of these problems with urination is often a strong signal that something is off. If you begin to notice all or some of these issues, it may be time to contact your doctor to find out more about what is going on. The early stages of prostate cancer are important to discuss.
Onset Of Erectile Dysfunction
Most ED is the result of age-related vascular disease or nerve damage from diabetes. Occasionally erectile dysfunction can be the result of prostate cancer.
The combination of a lack of desire and erectile dysfunction is not uncommon, so it is important to pay attention to if these symptoms are also paired with the others. This can make it clear that there is a larger cause. If the problems persist, it may be time to contact your doctor about figuring out if the problem is related to a possible case of prostate cancer.
Problems With Ejaculation
Alongside the problems with sexual health, there can also be other issues regarding ejaculation. If you begin to see blood in your semen, this is another rare sign of prostate cancer. There is also the potential for there to be pain when ejaculating which can equate to cancer as well. Each of these can lead to something bigger than is better to confront when you begin to notice them.
Prostate cancer is one of the most important illnesses for men to learn about over the course of their life. With its commonality, anyone could face it. That is why these early stages of prostate cancer are essential to understand and look out for. You may even be able to catch cancer at a stage that makes it easy to treat. Have you noticed some of these symptoms in your own life? It may be time to make an appointment with Alliance Urology. Check out our website or give us a call at (336) 274-1114 for more information.
