Many men ignore the symptoms of prostate cancer due to male ego

 Prostate cancer is one of the common cancers that men tend to suffer from. Though, ones suffering from prostate cancer may rarely showcase any symptoms at an early stage. But there are a few red flags that you need not miss, and seek immediate medical attention once you notice these symptoms. Read on to know more about these signals and seek timely intervention.

The prostate is a small walnut sized gland situated in the pelvic region of a man next to the bladder. Are you aware? Your prostate is known to carry out a lot of important functions like producing the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports your sperm. Yes, you have heard it right! Prostate cancer is one of the commonest cancers of male populations, and many cases go unrecognized till late stage, because it hardly produces significant symptoms till it has extensively spread to the bones or other organs of the body. This happens due to the lack of awareness, tendency to ignore minor symptoms, self-denial due to male ego and avoidance of annual health check-ups till serious problems start and cause significant disturbances in passing urine. Prostate cancer originates in the prostate, and grows slowly but tends to spread rapidly. The causes of this type of cancer are not known yet, but its genetic predisposition has been established. Occurrence of prostate cancer is ten times more common in those men, in whom a male member in the family tree has suffered from this cancer as compared to the normal population. Hence, awareness and early diagnosis is key to tackle it.

 Here are some of the warning signs of this notorious cancer that you shouldn’t miss

A painful or burning sensation while urination or ejaculation: Do you tend to avoid passing urine owing to pain down there? Then, you should stop doing so and consult your urologist. Did you know? Painful urination or ejaculation is one of the prominent signs and requires immediate attention.

Frequent urination mostly during the night: If you happen to make frequent trips to the bathroom during the night then be alert. It can be just an age-related enlargement of Prostate gland or even a prostate cancer. Just a simple blood test of measuring serum PSA will differentiate between them.

Difficulty stopping or starting urination: This is another worrisome sign.

Blood in urine or semen: If you notice blood in the urine or semen then just go to your urologist to rule out any possibility of prostate cancer.

Other symptoms of this cancer include sudden retention and total inability to pass urine, loss of bladder control, swelling in the pelvic region, and bone pain and easy fractures of the bone with minor injuries or otherwise.

By: Dr S K Pal, Urologist, Apollo Spectra Delhi, Nehru Enclave