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According to WebMD, most men don’t know they have prostate cancer until it’s found during a routine physical. while the disease doesn’t typically cause symptoms in its early stages, there are some signs you can look for.

While these symptoms may also be the symptom of something else besides prostate cancer, they can be signs of the disease.

One of the most common symptoms men notice are problems with urination. Not being able to urinate, urinating often, or experiencing pain or burning during urination can all be symptoms.

Other symptoms include: difficulty having an erection; noticing blood in your urine or semen; pain in your lower back, stomach, hip or pelvis.

If you experience any of these symptoms you should reach out to your doctor for further examination.

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hi there im 18 years old and have these symptoms:
frequent urinating
premature ejaculation
lower back ache
prostate feels kind of like i want to squeeze my legs together to stop it aching.
loss of erection sometimes but this could be due to worrying if i have cancer etc..
thankyou

Can't tell you if you have either but you should see your GP without delay

You need to see your doctor, because it COULD be anything, but most likely you have a bladder infection or prostatitis. Try drinking lots of cranberry juice for a week and see if it gets any better…

no, these are signs of maturitry, these are very common at your age specially if ur not sexually active

I have prostate cancer and what you are describing is not. you can't "feel" your prostate. If you feel you have health issues of some type, check with a GP but you can quit worrying about prostate cancer.

i would say no..it is highly unlikely at your age…go and get checked if your worried…first signs are dribbling when you pass water and it is usually in a male 50 plus but get checked and put your mind at rest goodluck….

Just had my third annual routine prostate rectal exam but noticed two symptoms afterward. the next day, I had to urinate over a dozen times (I generally average 4 times a day). I have also been experiencing difficulties maintaining an erection, which has never happened to me before. the doctor found no problems in my exam at all. I haven't informed him about these post-exam symptoms as yet. I'm just afraid that he'll balk at my claims because he might fear a lawsuit (I wouldn't sue him anyway).

Anyone ever have similar experience or know why this is happening? I'm guessing that the doctor bruised the prostate and urethra tissue during the exam, which may take a while to heal. Sound reasonable?

Actually, it sounds like you may have a bladder infection. I'd see the doc again

Sounds like either your own assumption is correct or it maybe that you are having,at least in part,a psychological response to the prodding and probing..Also did he do a PSA? if he did not I would urge you to get one done. It is possible to have prostate cancer that is undetected by the "finger test"

I usually experience soreness and sometimes a little blood in the urine.

I also recently had a rectal prostate exam. Afterward, I experienced loose bowel movements and more frequent urination for about three days. I'm not sure if it was from the exam or from the anticipation of the exam. It cleared up in a few days. I'd say just give it some time.

It would take quite an intense exam to do that!!

Prostatecancer is on the rise in the US and it is no longer considered an older man’s disease. More than 1 in 5 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year and in many urologist offices across the nation, more and more cases involve men in their 40′s. to consider this statistic, it is fair to think that all men–both young and old–should understand the symptoms and problems associated with thiscancer. the truth, however, is that most men don’t have an understanding ofwhat prostate cancer entails—at all.

With one simple PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test, Jeff, a 45-year old IT support representative, got the news that he had prostate cancer. For weeks he had a slight burning sensation during urination, but nothing else that would cause great alarm. A quick visit to a urologist provided him with the early diagnosis that probably saved his life.

The truth behind prostate cancer is that for most men, symptoms do not appear at all. Urination trouble, a burning sensation while urinating, trouble maintaining an erection and other male dysfunction troubles that may occur may come and go at times without causing concern. Many of the early symptoms typically are brushed off as part of life’s little annoyances. While the symptoms of prostate cancer do become more troublesome and evident as the disease progresses, experts recommend seeing a doctor with the first onset of symptoms.

Dr. mark Allen, MD, a North Texas Urologist, recommends that all men–regardless of their age–take control of their health and request a PSA test during their annual routine physicals. “Because prostate cancer is a disease that starts slowly and presents little symptoms at first, it is hard to detect without a PSA blood test. these tests are generally not given during annual exams to men under the age of 45 because prostate cancer has always been considered an older man’s disease; these tests can be given upon request. these simple prostate cancer screening tests willprovide red flags for these common cancers,” says Dr. Allen.

As menincrease in age, their risk of developing prostate cancer increasesdramatically. although only 1 in 10,000 under age 40 will be diagnosed, therate shoots up to 1 in 39 for ages 40 to 59, and continues to radicallyincrease thereafter.”

Understanding prostate cancer

The prostate gland is a small, walnut-sized structure thatmakes up part of a man’s reproductive system. it is the organ that helps a man urinate as well as maintain an erection. it also plays a vital role in the production of semen. Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that forms in the prostategland. this particular cancergrows slowly and typically produces little symptoms until it progresses. when prostate cancer symptoms doappear, in many cases the cancer has usually progressed and is in afurther stage.

The good news for men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer, there are many new and advanced prostate cancer treatment options to consider—each with a number of pros and cons. it is important to discuss each prostate cancer treatmentoption carefully with your urologist or oncologist.

According toUrologist, Dr. mark Allen, MD, “The Calypso® 4D Localization System is a revolutionary radiation treatment that is helping to eliminate the cancer within the body. it acts as a GPS for the body, directly targeting the cancer cells without affecting nearby tissue. By using real-time tracking of the radiation beam, this incredible piece of technology is as precise as it gets in terms of radiation therapy.”

Similar tothe new advances in guided radiation therapy, there are also huge strides thathave been made in surgeries to treat prostate cancer. A standard course of treatment is a radicalprostatectomy where either all or some of the prostate, as well as tissuesurround the organ, is removed. there are side effects to this surgeryincluding impotence and urinary incontinence.

According to experts, the da Vinci robotic surgery is a highly advanced technical procedure that hasbeen proven to be more effective, quicker to perform, and dramatically lessinvasive than a traditional prostate surgery.

Thisbreakthrough in prostate surgery uses robotic hands to perform the actual surgery. By making very tiny incisions to thelower abdomen, tiny instruments are inserted into the patient along with a 3D camera. the surgeon then sits at a nearby station where he or she can view the entire prostate image in a perfectly magnified 3D image. the da Vinci system then flawlessly translates the surgeon’s hand,wrist and finger movements into precise, accurate, real-time movements ofsurgical instruments inside the patient. Intrinsically, every maneuver performed with the da Vinci roboticsurgical device is performed with direct input from the surgeon.

Becauserobotic prostate cancer surgery, in general, is relatively knew, it is hasn’tyet been adopted by many Dallas area urologists. Dr. Allen explains, “Many patients are still mostcomfortable with traditional surgery. For a surgeon, it is a significant investment to make to bring theequipment in-house and the learning curve is pretty extent. however, once mastered, usingrobotic prostate cancer surgery as a treatment for prostate cancer provides thesurgeon with instinctive control, range of motion, tissue manipulation andcapabilities that are characteristic of open surgery but with the side effectsof a more minimally-invasive procedure.

Dr. Allencontinues to say, “Regardless of the prostate cancer treatment options apatient might choose, it’s important to detect and diagnose this cancer beforeit progresses. there are severaldistinct warning signs that men should be aware of to help catch thisincreasingly widespread cancer.” he offers some important symptoms to be cognitive of:

· Difficulty or inability tourinate

· Frequent urge to urinate

· Blood inurine or semen

· Painful or burningurination

· Difficulty in having ormaintaining an erection

· Painful or uncomfortable ejaculation

· Frequent pain or stiffness inlower back, hips, or upper thighs

While thesesymptoms could possibly be another condition—such as an enlarged prostate, BPH(Benign prostatic hyperplasia) or prostatis—which is a common inflammationof the prostate gland, it’s important to have a physical and the necessarytests performed so that cancer can be ruled out.

Medical Content Editor,eMedical Media

Contributors: Dr. mark Allen, MD is a skilled urologist practicing inDallas, Texas. he offers urological services to patients throughout the greaterDallas, Frisco, McKinney, Fort Worth and Arlington areas.