Prostate Cancer

... symptoms & types

Do you know the symptoms of prostate cancer? Learn about prostate cancer symptoms, the significance of an enlarged prostate, and more.

Understanding Prostate Cancer Symptoms: The Basics

Are there early warning signs of prostate cancer? Find out -- and review a brief list of symptoms to watch for.

Are There Prostate Cancer Warning Signs?

Unfortunately, prostate cancer has no early warning signals. However, many men have symptoms that do point to problems with the prostate gland. Learn what to watch for and when it's time to call your doctor.

Predicting and Monitoring Advanced Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer markers can help predict and monitor the disease with accuracy. Some help determine how aggressive the prostate cancer is. Learn about these markers.

Prostate Cancer Stages: What Are They?

Staging prostate cancer occurs after diagnosis, when tests are done to discover the size and location of the cancer. Find out more about staging

Prostate Cancer Grading and the Gleason Score

Grading refers to a cancer's appearance and indicates how quickly it's growing. Grading takes place after a biopsy (removal and examination of tissue), using the Gleason score. Learn more about the Gleason score and cancer grading here.

Complications of Erectile Dysfunction and Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer doesn't cause erectile dysfunction, also called impotence. Find out why it can be a complication after treatment, and what you can do.

Related Guide: Urinary Incontinence and Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer treatments can sometimes cause urinary incontinence, but there are new techniques that can reduce your chances of this side effect. Find out more.

Advanced Prostate Cancer: Coping With Treatment Side Effects

Impotence, incontinence, pain: Learn how to handle -- and gain control of -- some of the most common side effects of advanced prostate cancer and its treatment.

Dealing With Prostate Cancer Fatigue

Fatigue isn't the same as tiredness. Learn the differences, what causes cancer-related fatigue, and how you can combat the problem.

What is the prostate gland?

The prostate gland is an organ that is located at the base or outlet (neck) of the urinary bladder. (See the diagram.) The gland surrounds the first part of the urethra. The urethra is the passage through which urine drains from the bladder to exit from the penis. One function of the prostate gland is to help control urination by pressing directly against the part of the urethra that it surrounds. Another function of the prostate gland is to produce some of the substances that are found in normal semen, such as minerals and sugar. Semen is the fluid that transports the sperm. A man can manage quite well, however, without his prostate gland.

In a young man, the normal prostate gland is the size of a walnut. During normal aging, however, the gland usually grows larger. This enlargement with aging is called benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), but this condition is not associated with prostate cancer. Both BPH and prostate cancer, however, can cause similar problems in older men. For example, an enlarged prostate gland can squeeze or impinge on the outlet of the bladder or the urethra, leading to difficulty with urination. The resulting symptoms commonly include slowing of the urinary stream and urinating more frequently, particularly at night.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor (growth) that consists of cells from the prostate gland. The tumor usually grows slowly and remains confined to the gland for many years. During this time, the tumor produces little or no symptoms or outward signs (abnormalities on physical examination). As the cancer advances, however, it can spread beyond the prostate into the surrounding tissues (local spread). Moreover, the cancer also can metastasize (spread even farther) throughout other areas of the body, such as the bones, lungs, and liver. Symptoms and signs, therefore, are more often associated with advanced prostate cancer.

Why is prostate cancer important?

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in American men and the second leading cause of deaths from cancer, after lung cancer. Most experts in this field, therefore, recommend that beginning at age 40, all men should undergo yearly screening for prostate cancer.