One of the leading causes of deaths for men in the United States, prostate cancer does not have a specific cause and its development is usually attributed to a combination of factors. For example, it could be genetic and inherited from family members, or it could be due to one’s lifestyle habits. In most cases, toxins in the environment, exposure to radiation, and chemicals can cause changes in the genetic material.

These gene mutations lead to the growth of cancerous cells, which multiply rapidly and form a tumor. When cancer spreads beyond the prostate to other parts of the body, it is known to be advanced and is mostly fatal in this case.

Symptoms of prostate cancer
Like most cancers, prostate cancer may not exhibit any symptoms during its early stages and in rare cases, may not be seen until extremely advanced stages.

Commonly, the symptoms of prostate cancer include the following:

• Difficulty in urinating.
• Frequent urination that increases at night.
• Not being able to empty the bladder fully, causing dribbling and repeated visits to the toilet.
• Weak flow of urine.
• Pain or burning sensation while urinating.
• Blood in urine or semen.
• Discomfort and pain in the pelvic region that may extend to the hips and back.
• Problems like erectile dysfunction.
• Pain while ejaculating.

Risk factors of prostate cancer
The top risk factors for prostate cancer include the following:

• Those aged above 65 are at the highest risk of developing prostate cancer while those under the age of 40 are less likely to get this disease.
• People of African-American or Caribbean descent are more likely to get these risk factors.
• Those who have a family history of prostate cancer are at a higher risk. Having a brother with prostate cancer increases the risk of developing this condition.
• Obese people are more at risk of prostate cancer.
• Eating more red meat and food that have high-fat content can increase the risk of getting prostate cancer.
• Prostatitis and sexually transmitted diseases may increase the chances of getting prostate cancer.

Anyone who has these risk factors should get tested frequently and needs to see a doctor immediately if they experience any of the symptoms.

Screening tests for prostate cancer
Screening tests can help to detect prostate cancer at an early stage. Some of the common screening tests include:

• PSA or Prostate Specific Antigen test that is one indicator of prostate cancer.
• Digital rectal examination by a doctor can help check for tumors.

Complications of prostate cancer

• Some of the complications that could occur as a result of prostate cancer are incontinence and sexual dysfunction.
• The biggest complication is when prostate cancer metastasizes and spread to other parts of the body. It can spread to the lymph nodes, bones, and other organs. When cancer spreads distant regions from its organ of origin, treatment becomes very difficult.