Signs and investigations: Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer
Signs and symptoms
Men describe symptoms they experienced before diagnosis
Men with early prostate cancer may not have any symptoms, as these usually only occur when the cancer gets big enough to put pressure on the urethra. In men over 50, the prostate gland can get larger due to a non-cancerous condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
The symptoms of both benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer are very similar and it is often difficult to differentiate between the two without further tests.
Over three-quarters of the men we interviewed consulted their GPs because of signs or symptoms, although a few men were diagnosed as the result of routine PSA tests (see 'The PSA test' and 'Ideas on PSA screening & tests on demand'). Before the diagnosis was made most men reported difficulty in passing urine, urgency, and passing urine more frequently than usual, particularly at night.
Some men gave detailed descriptions of their symptoms. In some cases symptoms were quite mild while in other cases symptoms were much more severe.
In a few instances men mentioned blood in their urine.
Last reviewed January 2010
Last updated January 2010
