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This is a formidable opponent. It can take years to develop with subtle symptoms that men ignore. His greatest “enemy” is oncological vigilance and preventive examinations. Find out how not to miss the prostate cancer alarms.
Pollakiuria
Prostate cancer develops very slowly – it takes about a decade from the first neoplastic changes to the formation of a 1 ml tumor. Its first symptoms are often the same as benign prostatic hyperplasia, which affects every second man over 55 years of age. It is accompanied by problems with urination, which are manifested by an increased frequency of urination (usually more than 8 times a day), often at night (nocturia). Particularly troublesome is the feeling of constant urge to urinate (pollakisuria) and the difficult to control urgent need to urinate, problems with starting voiding, burning sensation, the feeling of incomplete urination, and narrow urination in a narrow stream. Urinary symptoms are related to the anatomical structure and the passage of the urethra through the altered prostate gland.
Hematuria
This is a very disturbing symptom that can indicate a variety of conditions and health problems, from cystitis to cancer. Any man who notices blood in his urine (haematuria) or semen (hematospermia) should see a urologist. In the case of prostate cancer, this may be a sign of its advancement. Time is a key factor in the treatment of the disease, and each subsequent day can significantly reduce the chances of a cure.
Erectile dysfunction
The belief that old age is the cause of erectile dysfunction, i.e. the inability to obtain and / or maintain a sufficient erection necessary for satisfactory sexual intercourse, is a myth. These are diseases that are more common with age and are responsible for erectile dysfunction. If you have experienced ED suddenly and prostate cancer has been in your immediate family, don’t wait.
Changing the rhythm of bowel movements
Contrary to appearances, it is not always a symptom of colon cancer. If the cancer has spread beyond the prostate gland, it may be accompanied by an abnormal bowel movement and unexplained weight loss.
Pain in the lumbar region, back, chest, or legs
Long-undiagnosed prostate cancer causes the risk of invasion of the tissues surrounding the prostate gland and the appearance of metastases, most often to the surrounding lymph nodes and bones. Prostate cancer metastases in the bones usually occur in the spine, ribs, pelvic and skull bones, as well as in the epiphyses of long bones. In this situation, severe bone pain may be a symptom of advanced prostate cancer. It can be permanent, that is, accompanying the patient regardless of the activities performed, as well as incidental, caused by specific movements of the patient. Moreover, the compaction of bone tissue through neoplastic cells can lead to pathological and painful fractures, significantly affecting the patient’s quality of life and causing severe pain.