Prostate Cancer Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

If you have any of these symptoms do not assume it is due to prostate cancer. These symptoms may also be caused by other, less serious health conditions, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or an infection. Tell your doctor if you have any of these:

• A need to urinate frequently, especially at night
• Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine
• Not able to urinate
• Weak or interrupted urine flow
• Painful or burning urination
• Difficulty having an erection
• Painful ejaculation
• Blood in urine or semen
• Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam.

Tests:

• Digital rectal exam—examination of the rectum with the doctor's gloved finger inserted into your rectum
• Urine test—to check for blood or infection
• Blood test—to measure prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP)

Other tests to learn more about the cause of your symptoms are:

• Transrectal ultrasonography—a test that uses sound waves and a probe inserted into the rectum to find tumors
• Intravenous pyelogram —series of x-rays of the organs of the urinary tract
• Cystoscopy —the doctor looks into the urethra and bladder through a thin, lighted tube
• Biopsy —removal of a sample of prostate tissue to test for cancer cells