Patients and Care Givers | Types of Cancer | Prostate | Risk Factors & Symptoms

Risk Factors & Symptoms

Simply put, all men are at risk of prostate cancer and the most common risk factor is age. However, some men have an increased risk.

My daughter said (prostate cancer) was an old black man’s disease. She said something else is going to kill you before that … but I wanted it treated and out of the body so that it did not spread to other areas of the body that are not as predictable for an old black man." Amos Tingle

For these men, click here to read more about the genetic factors that may put them at higher risk of prostate cancer:

Genetic Factors for a Higher Risk of Prostate Cancer

You have more than one

first-degree relative (father, son, or brother) who had prostate cancer, including relatives in three generations on your mother’s or father’s side of the family.

You were diagnosed

with prostate cancer when you were 55 years old or younger.

You were diagnosed

with prostate cancer, and other members of your family have been diagnosed with breast, ovarian, or pancreatic cancer.

Jonathan Chance: In many cases, like in my case, it can affect you when you’re young and it’s fast-growing. If you’re not aware of it, in many cases men don’t find out until they’re beyond help. In many cases, you don’t have signs or symptoms, it’s fast-growing, and it can affect you when you’re young. That kinda disturbed me … it was never something on my radar that annually I need to talk to my doctor and be concerned about this. The other thing I learned that really upset me is that my father had prostate cancer … and I found out now that if your father has prostate cancer, you have a 50% greater chance of getting the disease. Again, I was aware of it and it was never on my radar until I’m sitting in the doctor’s office being told you have this disease, it’s aggressive, and you could die.

The symptoms of prostate cancer can vary from person to person. In fact, it is more common for men with prostate cancer to have no symptoms at all. Most men are diagnosed with prostate cancer after screening or after lab work due to symptoms for an issue that may not be related to prostate cancer. Learn about the most common prostate cancer symptoms, below⁴:

Common Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Urinating

• Difficulty starting urination.
•Weak or interrupted stream.
• Frequent urination, especially at night.

Pain & Disfunction

• Pain or burning during urination.
• Painful ejaculation.
• Erectile dysfunction.
• Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that doesn’t go away.

Other

• Unintended weight loss.
• Blood in the urine or semen.

It is also important to note that these symptoms may be caused by conditions other than prostate cancer. If experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your doctor right away.