Early-stage prostate cancer almost always develops without any symptoms, but there are several warning signs worth watching for, according to oncologist Yevgeny Votyakov, chief urologist at SM-Klinika in Saint Petersburg. He discussed the first warning signs of the disease in an interview with Lenta.ru.
Votyakov said the first symptom is a sudden, strong urge to urinate that becomes impossible to hold. He said the urine stream can also become weak and interrupted in men with prostate cancer, and that some men have to strain at the start of urination.
Other warning signs
Votyakov said the early signs can include discomfort or pain during ejaculation and difficulty achieving an erection. He said blood can sometimes appear in the urine or semen, though this symptom often shows up not at the earliest stage but later, once the tumor has grown into the bladder or the seminal ducts.
Why screening matters
Votyakov stressed that relying on how a person feels is risky when it comes to prostate cancer, since the disease can easily be missed. He said surveys show that 94 percent of prostate cancer cases are found not because of complaints but during routine checkups. He said regular screening, even without any symptoms, is the only way to catch the disease at an early, curable stage.
Urologist Mark Gadzyan previously described treating a patient who complained that his penis had disappeared. The doctor eventually diagnosed the patient with a rare condition known as Koro syndrome.
