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Prostate Cancer
Light blue Prostate Cancer awareness ribbon labeled Prostate Cancer
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Prostate Cancer signs, follow-up guidance, risk factors, testing information, and trusted cancer resources from PINC Foundation.
Early prostate cancer often causes no symptoms. Urinary or bone symptoms have many possible causes, but they should be assessed rather than self-diagnosed.
Prostate cancer is very rare in young adults and risk rises substantially with age. Black men and people with a strong family history may face higher or earlier risk and should discuss screening sooner.
• Increasing age
• Black ancestry
• Father or brother with prostate cancer, especially at a young age
• Inherited variants such as BRCA2 or Lynch syndrome
• Some lifestyle and metabolic factors may affect risk
• Increasing age
• Black ancestry
• Father or brother with prostate cancer, especially at a young age
• Inherited variants such as BRCA2 or Lynch syndrome
• Some lifestyle and metabolic factors may affect risk
• Difficulty starting urination or a weak/interrupted stream
• Urinating often, especially at night
• Blood in urine or semen
• Pain or burning with urination or ejaculation
• Persistent pain in the back, hips, or pelvis in advanced disease
Discuss new or worsening urinary symptoms with a clinician. Inability to urinate, severe back pain with leg weakness/numbness, or loss of bladder/bowel control needs urgent care.
• Difficulty starting urination or a weak/interrupted stream
• Urinating often, especially at night
• Blood in urine or semen
• Pain or burning with urination or ejaculation
• Persistent pain in the back, hips, or pelvis in advanced disease
Discuss new or worsening urinary symptoms with a clinician. Inability to urinate, severe back pain with leg weakness/numbness, or loss of bladder/bowel control needs urgent care.
PSA screening is a personal decision because it can find important cancers but can also lead to overdiagnosis and treatment harms. Discuss when to start based on age, ancestry, family history, health, and preferences.
• PSA blood test and shared decision-making for screening
• Digital rectal examination in some evaluations
• Repeat PSA, urine tests, or risk tools for an abnormal result
• Prostate MRI
• Biopsy to diagnose cancer
PSA screening is a personal decision because it can find important cancers but can also lead to overdiagnosis and treatment harms. Discuss when to start based on age, ancestry, family history, health, and preferences.
• PSA blood test and shared decision-making for screening
• Digital rectal examination in some evaluations
• Repeat PSA, urine tests, or risk tools for an abnormal result
• Prostate MRI
• Biopsy to diagnose cancer
• What are the benefits and harms of PSA screening for me?
• Could infection or an enlarged prostate affect my PSA?
• Would repeat PSA or MRI help before biopsy?
• Does my family history suggest genetic counseling?
• What are the benefits and harms of PSA screening for me?
• Could infection or an enlarged prostate affect my PSA?
• Would repeat PSA or MRI help before biopsy?
• Does my family history suggest genetic counseling?
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer.html
https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer.html
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