Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men. Fortunately, many prostate cancers grow slowly and are confined to the prostate gland. But other forms are aggressive and spread quickly.
“The chances of an American male developing prostate cancer over his lifetime are 1 in 8,” said Can Talug, MD, an urologist with Saint Joseph Health System. “Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer don’t ultimately die from prostate cancer.”
In many cases, prostate cancer causes no signs or symptoms in its early stages, but as it progresses, it may cause symptoms such as:
Blood in the urine
Problems urinating or painful urination
Weight loss
“We like to screen for prostate cancer simply because there are no reliable signs or symptoms that men will present with,” said Talug. “Men in their 40s or older should speak to their provider about screening to get a baseline result using a PSA or blood test.”
