How Can One Tell That They Might Have prostate Cancer?
Cancer is really not a monster lurking in the shadows waiting to attack when we least expect it. It is a progressive disease that can be caught early most of the time if we are keen enough. For the longest time, the word cancer has been almost synonymous to a death sentence. It worries us at the Doctor’s Bench that we still haven’t been able to alleviate the fear associated with that word.
While talking to a group of men recently, we asked them why they never go for checkup early and one of them said that they were just afraid that the doctor might say that they have cancer. In this man’s experience, he did not believe that cancer is treatable at all, and most of the audience believed that as well. This worries me because for years, the medical community has been trying to convince the public that if caught early, most forms of cancers can actually be treated successfully. Most men, especially in our country, seek medical attention when it is too late. By the time a diagnosis is being made, the disease is usually too progressed for any reasonable intervention. I think we should dispel this misinformation to help our men identify the symptoms early enough and encourage them to seek medical attention the earliest possible.
If you are a man at the age of 45 and above, you are eligible for screening for prostate cancer. This type of cancer is rare in younger individuals; only very few people have been recorded to have had prostate cancer at a younger age.
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I believe it’s crucial for men to be able to recognize symptoms that could indicate the presence of prostate cancer. If they can identify these symptoms early, we shall have succeeded in raising awareness and reducing mortalities.
If you are a man at the age of 45 and above, you are eligible for screening for prostate cancer. This type of cancer is rare in younger individuals; only very few people have been recorded to have had prostate cancer at a younger age.
As men age, the prostate enlarges. This is a natural occurrence. For some men, the enlargement of the prostate can become bothersome. However, some men may have a large prostate without experiencing any urinary symptoms. Simply having a large prostate doesn’t indicate a problem or a need for intervention. For some men, a large prostate is solely a result of ageing and doesn’t affect their urinary flow or overall well-being. In fact, an enlarged prostate may be an incidental finding as your doctor evaluates you for other medical issues.
Understanding Prostate Enlargement
When the prostate becomes enlarged, it is commonly referred to as BPE or BPH, which stands for benign prostatic enlargement or benign prostatic hypertrophy. ‘Benign’ indicates that it is not cancerous. Although it is growing, it is essentially a benign condition. When this enlargement occurs, symptoms emerge because your normal urine flow has been interrupted.
As the prostate enlarges, it constricts the urethra, leading to obstructive and irritative symptoms. These symptoms are often remembered by the mnemonic ‘WISHFUN.’ ‘W.I.S.H’ stands for the obstructive symptoms that is, weak urinary stream, intermittency, straining, and hesitancy while ‘F.U. N’ stands for the irritative symptoms which are frequency, urgency, and nocturia respectively.
Read: Prostate Cancer Key Indicators to Watch for
Obstructive symptoms
As the prostate enlarges, it may begin to constrict the urethra, which the conduit through which urine leaves the bladder and is passed out. When the urethra becomes constricted, you may experience obstructive symptoms.
- Weak stream – slow urine flow
- Intermittency – a flow that is not continuous
- Straining – feeling like you have to force the urine out. Urination should be effortless.
- Hesitancy – difficulty starting or maintaining urine flow.
In simpler terms, any deviation from your usual urination pattern, such as feeling like you haven’t completely emptied your bladder or dribbling of urine; may be a sign that your prostate is causing an obstruction in the flow of urine. It is important to note that obstruction can happen due to many other causes, and prostate cancer is just one of them. It is therefore essential to visit the hospital if you experience any of these symptoms.
Irritative symptoms
Some men may present with what are called ‘fun symptoms,’ indicating that changes in the prostate are causing irritation to the bladder and urine. In this context, ‘FUN’ stands for;
- Frequency — meaning urinating more times than usual per day
- Urgency-feeling sudden and intense urge to pass urine. One cannot delay going to the toilet, and sometimes the urine leaks before getting to the toilet.
- Nocturia – Having to wake up so many times to pee at night.
While these irritative symptoms could potentially be caused by an infection, they should not be ignored, and it’s essential to seek medical advice for a proper evaluation.
In simpler terms, any deviation from your usual urination pattern, such as feeling like you haven’t completely emptied your bladder or dribbling of urine, may be a sign that your prostate is causing an obstruction in the flow of urine.
Other symptoms
As with any malignancy, if caught late: prostate cancer patients come to hospital with symptoms suggestive of malignancy such as unintentional weight loss, generalized fatigue, fevers, night sweats, lymph nodes enlargement, lower back pain and joint pains.
Other symptoms are usually due to the spread of the cancerous cells either to the nearby tissues or the rest of the body. For example, if the cancer spreads to the spine or bones, the patient may come in with inability to walk, lower back pains and non-traumatic fractures.
Symptoms usually begin to show late in the disease progression, probably when there is already local or distant spread.
Prostate cancer is rare in men below the age of 50 years. Only about 10% of prostate cancer cases occur in men aged 55 or younger. It is therefore important for every an aged 50 and above to get regular screening for prostate cancer.
Read: Prostate Cancer Key Indicators to Watch for
Disclaimer
One may have the described symptoms and test negative for prostate cancer. If you have such symptoms, you need to be evaluated by a doctor. Other conditions may cause ‘WISHFUN’ symptoms e.g., benign prostatic enlargement, other causes of urine retention, Diabetes, and infections.
In the next article, we’ll talk about screening and how prostate cancer is confirmed or ruled out.
