Not all men show signs of prostate cancer, but for those who do, symptoms have a very important role in early detection. The signs of prostate cancer include an increasing need to urinate, frequent urination during night time, a burning or urgency in urinating, urine that is weak or interrupted, blood in the urine, as well as difficulty in urinating. Moreover, pain and discomfort in the back, hips or pelvis can also indicate prostate cancer, as can the sensation that your bladder is not empty after urinating.



These symptoms do not necessarily indicate cancer, as there are many other medical reasons that can be behind these symptoms. The best thing you can do is go see a doctor and let them tell you what this is about. If certain symptoms or the results of early detection tests suggest that you might have prostate cancer, your doctor will perform a prostate biopsy to find out if the disease is really present.

A biopsy is a procedure in which a sample of body tissue is removed and then looked at under the microscope. A core needle biopsy is the most frequent method used to diagnose prostate cancer. It is usually done by an urologist or a surgeon who treats cancers of the genital and urinary tract, which includes the prostate gland.

Using trans- rectal ultrasound to see the prostate gland, the doctor rapidly inserts a needle through the wall of the rectum into the prostate gland. When the needle is pulled out, it removes a small part of tissue. This is repeated from 8 to18 times, although most urologists will take about 12 samples. These are then sent to the lab in order to see if cancer is present.

Though this procedure sounds very painful, it may only cause a brief, uncomfortable sensation because it is done with a special biopsy instrument. The device inserts and removes the needles in just a fraction of a second. Most doctors who do the biopsy will first numb the area using a local anesthetic alongside the prostate. You might want to make sure your doctor will do that before the biopsy.

How is prostate cancer detected? In order to detect prostate cancer you can take a PSA blood test, which comes from prostate specific antigen or a digital rectal exam, also known as DRE.

Digital Rectal Examination - During the digital rectal examination, the doctor will insert a lubricated and gloved finger into your anus. Then, the doctor will feel around to search for any type of abnormality or any unusually firm areas around the prostate.

Prostate-Specific Antigen Test - Prostate Specific Antigen (or also known as PSA) is a protein found in men's blood. The prostate cells produce the protein. Men with prostate cancer have higher levels of PSA in their blood than healthy men.

PSA-Related Tests - There are multiple other health factors that can cause a high PSA, and this is why most doctors using a PSA test will perform several additional tests in order to be sure that the patient really has prostate cancer or not. The doctor also may choose to monitor the patients’ PSA velocity, or how quickly the PSA levels rise over a certain period of time. Typically this procedure involves three tests over 18 months. You can also ask your doctor how is prostate cancer detected, so that you have all the information you need from a specialist in the domain.