What are the signs of prostate cancer?

In most cases, prostate cancer has no typical signs. It usually grows slowly, and the enlarged prostate will have typical symptoms similar to those of benign prostate enlargement, so it is often mistaken for prostate hyperplasia.

As the disease progresses, symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, and body aches may appear.

When a tumor metastasizes to the bone, bone pain may occur in the corresponding area. Bone pain can manifest in many forms and can be continuous or intermittent. Bone pain can be confined to a specific area or it can wander throughout the body. The symptoms vary at different times of the day and when resting or active. If bone metastases cause significant bone destruction, fractures may occur. The more common sites of bone metastasis are the hips, back, ribs, and shoulders. Some of these sites are also prone to arthritis, so when pain occurs in these sites, it does not necessarily mean that prostate cancer has metastasized to the bone. Prostate cancer can also metastasize to local lymph nodes, often without any symptoms. In rare cases, edema of both lower limbs may only occur with extensive lymph node metastasis.

If advanced prostate cancer metastasizes to the spine, causing destruction of the vertebral body, or if the tumor directly invades the vertebral body, it may compress the nerves and cause numbness or paralysis.

When prostate cancer invades the bottom of the bladder or there is extensive pelvic lymph node metastasis, it may cause unilateral or bilateral ureteral obstruction. Ureteral obstruction is manifested by decreased urine volume. If both ureters are obstructed, it may manifest as anuria, back pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever if secondary infection occurs. Hematuria and hematospermia are often not related to prostate cancer. However, if such symptoms occur, it is recommended to visit the urology outpatient clinic.

Patients with extensive metastatic prostate cancer may develop coagulation disorders, which manifest as bleeding tendency and anemia. This anemia may be related to extensive bone metastasis, hormone therapy, and the length of illness. The blood cell count decreases slowly, often without any discomfort. Some patients with more obvious anemia may experience fatigue, orthostatic hypotension (blood pressure drops significantly after standing), dizziness, shortness of breath, and weakness and fatigue.