FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 • PROSTATE CANCER • THE QUEENS COURIER 35
prostate cancer
What are the symptoms of
prostate cancer to watch for?
Prostate cancer is a formidable foe
that kills tens of thousands of men every
year.
The World Cancer Research Fund
International notes that age-adjusted
incidence rates of prostate cancer
have increased dramatically, citing
the increased availability of screening
for prostate-specific antigen, or
PSA, for helping to find prostate
cancer in men who otherwise might
never know they were sick. In fact,
the Prostate Cancer Foundation notes
that there usually aren’t any early
warning signs for prostate cancer,
which only highlights the importance
of routine screenings.
Tumors resulting from prostate cancer
may not push against anything to cause
pain, even as they are growing. So men
who do not receive routine prostate cancer
screenings may live for years with
the disease without knowing it. Such
screenings can be a great ally in the fi ght
against prostate cancer, but men can
also remain on the lookout for potential
signs of the disease. In rare cases, prostate
cancer can produce the following
symptoms, which men should immediately
bring to the attention of their physician.
ISSUES WITH URINATION
A need to urinate frequently, especially
at night, might be a symptom of prostate
cancer.
Some men may experience diffi culty
starting or holding back urination; those
who are experiencing these symptoms
should contact their physician.
Men with prostate cancer may experience
weak, dribbling or interrupted
fl ow of urination. Such issues may be
symptomatic of other conditions, so men
should not immediately assume they have
cancer.
ERECTION ISSUES
Some men experience diffi culty in having
an erection, and that may or may not
be a byproduct of prostate cancer.
Men may also notice a decrease in ejaculate
or experience painful ejaculations.
While these symptoms are not always a
result of prostate cancer, they should be
reported to a physician who can then take
measures to confi rm or rule out the presence
of cancer.
OTHER SYMPTOMS
Th e PCF notes that conditions such as
prostatitis and benign prostatic hypertrophy,
or BPH, are common, benign diseases
that can cause symptoms similar
to prostate cancer. But men should still
report symptoms such as blood in their
urine or semen; pressure or pain in their
rectum; and/or pain or stiff ness in their
lower back, hips, pelvis, or thighs to their
physicians the moment they begin to feel
such symptoms.
Men concerned about prostate cancer
or interested in learning more about
screenings can visit pcf.org for more
information
— Metro Creative Connection
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