Symptoms of prostate cancer

Men with early prostate cancer are unlikely to have any symptoms, as these only occur when the cancer is large enough to put pressure on the urethra (the tube that drains urine from the bladder). In men over the age of 50, the prostate gland often gets larger due to a non-cancerous condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia or hypertrophy (BPH).

The symptoms of both benign enlargement of the prostate gland and malignant tumours (cancer) are similar and can include any of the following:

• difficulty passing urine
• passing urine more frequently than usual, especially at night
• pain when passing urine
• blood in the urine (this is not common).

If you have any of these symptoms it’s important to get them checked by your doctor. But remember, most enlargements of the prostate are not cancer.

Symptoms of advanced prostate cancer

The symptoms of advanced prostate cancer include those symptoms mentioned above.

The symptoms due to secondary cancer will depend on which part of the body is affected, although there are a few general symptoms which some men have. These include being more tired than usual, generally feeling unwell, and having less of an appetite than usual.

Secondary cancer in the bones

The first sign of a secondary cancer in the bones is usually a nagging ache in the affected bone. This can become painful, making it difficult to sleep at night, or to move around without taking painkillers. The pain is generally present both day and night, whereas pain from arthritis, for example, is often worse early in the morning and is not there all the time.

A secondary cancer in the bone  |may gradually make it weaker. Pain and weakness can make getting around difficult, and a bone that is very weak may break (fracture) more easily.

If the bones in the spine are affected this can sometimes lead to weakness and tingling or numbness in the legs, due to the cancer causing pressure on the spinal cord. This is known as malignant spinal cord compression. It’s important to let your doctors know straight away if you have this symptom. We can send you information about spinal cord compression.

When bones are affected by cancer cells, extra calcium may be released into the blood. This is called hypercalcaemia. It can cause symptoms such as tiredness, feeling sick, constipation, thirst, poor appetite and confusion.

Secondary cancer in the bone marrow

Sometimes prostate cancer can spread to the bone marrow. The bone marrow is the spongy material that fills the bones and produces blood cells. The different types of blood cells are:

• red cells, which carry oxygen around the body
• white cells, which help to fight infection
• platelets, which help the blood to clot and prevent bleeding.

If the bone marrow is unable to produce enough blood cells you may become anaemic. You may also be more likely to get infections or to have bruising or bleeding.

Other symptoms

Occasionally prostate cancer can affect other parts of the body such as thelungs|, lymph nodes|, brain| or liver|.

If you notice any new symptoms that last for a couple of weeks or more you should discuss them with your specialist. It’s important to remember that any of these symptoms can be caused by conditions other than cancer.