Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and is known as the second most prevalent cause of death after lung cancer. The prostate is a small walnut-sized gland in the lower abdomen of males, located in front of the rectum. The urethra passes through the center of the gland from the bladder to the penis. The prostate helps in producing semen that passes through the urethra during the process of ejaculation.
Prostate cancer is notorious for the fact that it shows very few symptoms in the early stages of the disease. Prostate cancer can be easily detected by prostate-specific antigen level. It can be further diagnosed by digital rectal examination and ultrasound-guided transrectal prostate biopsy. It is common in old age, so doctors prefer to evaluate biopsy of the prostate of suspicious patients under a microscope before devising the treatment. Prostate cancer develops slowly over time, but debilitating symptoms generally start after few years of the silent disease. If you are having any problems while urinating at the age above 55, it is highly advised to visit your doctor and get yourself screened for prostate cancer.
ยป Now, let’s discuss signs & symptoms of prostate cancer.
1) Painful or burning urination
Prostate cancer causes the gland to enlarge in size, affecting the normal flow of urine. Impedance to urine flow is the reason for painful micturition. It is also possible that painful urination occurs due to cancer spreading to surrounding structures. Prostate cancer is notorious for its nature of local invasion of surrounding structures like the urethra, bladder, and rectum. Burning during urination can be due to suppurative infection or side effects of the treatment of prostate cancer. The enlargement of the gland causes urinary obstruction and retention. Undue retention of urine inside the bladder can lead to infection of urethra and bladder leading to burning during urination.
Antibiotics can relieve the situation for a while, but the doctor needs to start treating prostate cancer to avoid further risks and complications. Discussing this problem with your doctor is the best possible choice to ward off the complications of undiagnosed prostate cancer. Family history and genetics are major risk factors of prostate cancer, but lifestyle changes and diet can make these warning signs more conspicuous as obesity can worsen your condition of painful micturition.
