Men would not know they have prostate cancer unless the symptoms start showing. Especially during the early stages, this disease is almost free of prostate cancer symptoms. That is what makes it extra dangerous because nobody can treat it early unless it gets detected early, too. So, a regular checkup is recommended especially for men aged 50 years and up.

The most effective way to detect the cancer is through the measurement of the prostate-specific antigen or PSA. This is a protein serum that is naturally produced by the prostate gland. Normal men have small amounts of this in their prostates. Cancer cells in the prostate can produce 10 times more PSA and so, the excess gets into the bloodstream and therefore can be measured through blood test. When PSA is high, there may not be any prostate cancer symptoms, but there could be something wrong with the prostate.

The prostate cancer symptoms appear depending on the severity of the cancer or how far is it has spread. The early signs of this cancer involve a lot of problems concerning the urinary tract and urination.

When the prostate tumor grows, it blocks the bladder and causes an obstruction. The tissue that surrounds the prostate will prevent it from expanding further and that prompts the prostate gland to put some pressure on the urethra. Take note though, that a lot of the urinary symptoms may not root from the cancer, but from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or other infections on the prostate.

About 5 percent of prostate cancer patients showed urinary problems as their first prostate cancer symptoms. These urinary symptoms are:

• Difficulty in urinating

• Starting and stopping of urination

• Weak stream

• Strained feeling while urinating

Cancerous signs include blood in the urine or blood in the semen. If the cancer has already reached the lymph nodes in the pelvic area, the man will experience inflammation in the legs and extreme discomfort in the pelvis. Advanced stages will exhibit the following prostate canter symptoms:

Pain in the bones that just would not stop

Fractures in the bones

Spine gets compressed

Aside from the prostate cancer symptoms, it will help to know who are most prone to getting the diseases. The risk factors for prostate cancer are age, ethnicity, family history, diet, and high levels of testosterone.

Men aged 50 up are likely to develop prostate cancer that is why they are touted to undergo PSA tests regularly. For some reason, ethnicity is also a risk factor. A lot of black men have higher risk of getting the prostate cancer cells. Now, if your father, brother, or grandfather has prostate cancer, the chances are great that you will also develop it.

Obese men and those that have high-fat diets are also prone to getting prostate cancer. Scientists theorize that fats help increase the levels of testosterone in men. These hormones are the ones that stimulate the cancer cells more than anything, so prostate cancer is highly possible. Since high levels of testosterone enhance the production of the cancer cells and the growth of the prostate gland, those who are undergoing testosterone therapies are in danger of developing the prostate cancer symptoms.