Symptoms of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a malignant neoplasm that is associated with a change in the hormonal background, namely, with a high level of testosterone. As a rule, this disease occurs in men who are already over fifty. At an earlier age, this disease is rare in men, except for prostate sarcoma.
In the process of formation of a malignant tumor, one of the main roles is played by an increase in the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary system, which leads to a change in the process of formation of hormones in the adrenals and sex glands, and also leads to the development of atypical epithelial cells of the acini, i.e. To the formation of cancer nodes.
A person seeks a doctor after he has some complaints. Based on various analyzes, the doctor determines the most probable cause, diagnoses and prescribes the necessary examination to clarify the diagnosis. However, not only the doctor, but also the person himself should know the changes that should be paid attention and immediately visit the doctor to find out the reasons. Symptoms of prostate cancer in the beginning do not show themselves very clearly, a person can not disturb anything, or he simply neglects these manifestations( for example, he is engaged in self-medication or does not pay attention to them, ascribing them to another disease).
Symptoms of prostate cancer
Very often in the first stages of development this type of cancer does not show itself because it develops in the peripheral areas of the prostate. If the tumor grows in size over time, then external signs begin to appear.
All the symptoms that appear in the development of prostate cancer can be divided into three groups:
The first group is associated with a violation of the outflow of urine, otherwise it is called infravesical obstruction. Such symptoms appear in the case when the tumor squeezes the urethra. To this group include:
- intermittent urine stream or weak;
- frequent( more often than usual) urination;
- complicated onset of urination;
- imperative( painful) urge to urinate;
- urinary incontinence.
The second group includes malaises or complaints that are associated with an increase in the size of the tumor and its spread beyond the boundaries of the prostate gland. Symptoms occur when the tumor has already reached a considerable size, has sprouted a capsule of the prostate and has penetrated into neighboring tissues. The group includes such symptoms:
- appearance in the urine of the blood( hematuria);
- urinary incontinence;
- appearance in sperm with ejaculation( hemospermia);
- pain over the pubis or in the pubic area, as well as in the perineum;
- erectile dysfunction( otherwise, erectile dysfunction).
The latter group includes symptoms that are associated with the appearance of metastases( secondary tumor lesion of other tissues and organs of the human body).Symptoms attributed to this group indicate a neglected form of the disease and prognosis for recovery and life are not very optimistic. Manifestations can be as follows:
- anemia( reduced amount of hemoglobin in the blood);
- bone pain( often they appear in the lower back);
- decreased appetite, lethargy, weakness of the whole body, reduced tolerance of the body weight, fast fatigue;
- swelling of the lower limbs( otherwise, lymphostasis, in which metastases squeeze lymph vessels and veins);
- weight loss, sometimes quite significant, until complete exhaustion( cachexia);
- decrease in the ability of the motor activity of the lower limbs and their strength, sometimes down to paralysis, if the spinal cord is compressed.
It can be concluded that this type of cancer, however, like many other tumors of a malignant nature, is dangerous because at the initial stages of development it does not manifest itself and masks itself for other diseases of the genitourinary system( cystitis, prostate adenoma, prostatitisand etc.).If the above symptoms have appeared, as well as any other symptoms, you should immediately seek medical help from a specialist and make the necessary studies.
