Health Conditions A-Z Cancer Prostate Cancer 10 Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer By Lindsay Curtis Lindsay Curtis Lindsay Curtis is a freelance health & medical writer in South Florida. Prior to becoming a freelancer, she worked as a communications professional for health nonprofits and the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Nursing. health's editorial guidelines Updated on April 26, 2024 Medically reviewed by Archana Sharma, DO Medically reviewed by Archana Sharma, DO Dr. Archana Sharma, DO, FAAP is a pediatrician and active participant in a collaborative group that studies the effects of COVID-19 in pediatric oncology. The group has published its findings in prominent journals. learn more In This Article View All In This Article Common Symptoms Less Common Symptoms Advanced Stage Symptoms When To See a Healthcare Provider Prostate cancer usually does not cause symptoms in the early stages. Signs of prostate cancer can include frequent urination, weak or interrupted urine stream, painful ejaculation, blood in urine or semen, and erectile dysfunction as the disease progresses. It doesn't necessarily mean you have prostate cancer if you have these symptoms. Other conditions that affect the prostate, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate), cause similar symptoms. HeroImages / Getty Images Bladder Cancer Symptoms Common Symptoms The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located in the lower pelvis in front of the rectum and just below the bladder in the male reproductive system. The prostate wraps around the urethra, a tube that empties urine from the bladder. A tumor can press on or constrict the urethra, causing frequent urination, urinary urgency, and difficulty urinating. Frequent Urination and Nocturia Frequent urination is the need to urinate more than usual. Most people don't know how many times they urinate each day. People with prostate cancer may notice they are making more bathroom trips than normal. Nocturia, or excessive nighttime urination, is when you wake up more than once a night to urinate. The body slows down urine production at night, which allows most people to sleep between six to eight hours without waking to use the bathroom. Nocturia can be a symptom of prostate cancer, but there are many other causes, such as aging. Urinary Urgency Prostate cancer can cause a sudden, overwhelming need to urinate right away. Urinary urgency can make it difficult to "hold it" and may be accompanied by discomfort in the bladder or urinary tract. Difficulty Urinating Having trouble urinating, known as urinary hesitancy, can include problems with starting the stream of urine, a weak or slow stream, or a stream that frequently starts and stops. Feeling like the bladder is not completely emptied and dribbling (leaking) urine are also possible signs of prostate cancer. Less Common Symptoms Other symptoms of prostate cancer may also occur. These less common symptoms include painful ejaculation, blood in the urine or semen, and erectile dysfunction. Painful Ejaculation Pain during or immediately after ejaculation can be a sign of prostate cancer. You may feel pain in the penis, testes, rectum, or lower abdomen. Painful ejaculations range from mild discomfort to excruciating and may last a few seconds or longer. Blood in the Urine or Semen Blood in the urine (hematuria) or in the semen (hematospermia) can occur when a tumor in the prostate gland presses on the urethra or surrounding glands and blood vessels. A tumor can irritate or block these structures, causing blood to appear in urine or semen. Sudden Onset Erectile Dysfunction Erectile dysfunction is when it is difficult to get or keep an erection. Aging is a common cause, but it is typically gradual in onset. Sudden onset erectile dysfunction, in contrast, may be a sign of prostate cancer. This can occur when a tumor compresses or damages nerves that control blood flow to the penis. Advanced Stage Symptoms Other symptoms can occur if the cancer has metastasized (spread) outside of the prostate. Advanced symptoms include pain, swelling in the legs or feet, unintentional weight loss, and numbness and weakness. Pain in the Back, Hips, or Chest The bones are almost always the first part of the body affected when prostate cancer spreads. This is known as bone metastases. Cancer can spread to any area of the body, but the back, hips, and ribs are the most common sites of bone metastases. Swelling in the Legs or Feet Swelling in the legs and feet may occur when prostate cancer spreads to the lymph nodes in the pelvis. The lymph nodes are part of the lymphatic system, which collects excess fluid from body tissues and organs, filters it, and returns it back to the bloodstream. Fluid can build up and lead to swelling when cancer cells enter lymph nodes and block lymph drainage channels. Unintentional Weight Loss Unintentional weight loss is often a sign of advanced prostate cancer. Cancer cells demand a lot of the body's energy supply, causing the body to burn more calories than normal. Fatigue is common in advanced prostate cancer and can also contribute to weight loss. Numbness and Weakness in Limbs A tumor may compress the spinal cord and cause a range of symptoms when cancer spreads to the spine. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, and weakness in the arms and legs. Loss of control of the bladder and bowel may also occur. This can lead to incontinence (leaking urine or feces) or difficulty emptying the bladder or bowel. When To See a Healthcare Provider See a healthcare provider if you have prostate cancer symptoms. Not everyone who experiences these symptoms has prostate cancer. Other conditions that affect the prostate, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate), cause similar symptoms. A healthcare provider can investigate to determine the cause and provide treatment. Signs and Symptoms of Blood Cancer A Quick Review Prostate cancer is a slow-growing disease that does not usually cause symptoms in the early stages. More advanced prostate cancer may cause symptoms such as frequent urination, a weak urine stream, erectile dysfunction, and blood in the urine or semen. Other prostate conditions, such as an enlarged prostate, cause similar symptoms. It's important to make an appointment with a healthcare provider if you have prostate cancer symptoms. They can find and treat the cause. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit 9 Sources Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Cancer Society. Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer. Waqar M, Omar K, Moubasher A, et al. Painful ejaculation - an ignored symptom. Cureus. 2020;12(10):e11253. doi:10.7759/cureus.11253 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What is prostate cancer? MedlinePlus. Frequent or urgent urination. MedlinePlus. Urinating more at night. MedlinePlus. Prostate cancer symptoms. American Cancer Society. Lymph nodes and cancer. Bose S, Zhang C, Le A. Glucose metabolism in cancer: The Warburg effect and beyond. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021;1311:3-15. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-65768-0_1 American Cancer Society. Bladder and bowel incontinence.