Question

My husband's father and his uncle both died of prostate cancer. He doesn't seem worried by this, but I am. What are the symptoms of prostate cancer, so that he can be on the lookout?

Answer

You do not mention your husband's age, but as his own father and uncle have both died from prostate cancer, perhaps he could mention this to his own doctor or health care professional who can inform him about cancer prevention and detection methods, and whether these methods would be likely to help him. Anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor; anything that decreases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a protective factor. Some of the risk factors for cancer can be avoided, but many cannot. For example, although you can choose to quit smoking, you cannot choose which genes you have inherited from your parents. Both smoking and inheriting specific genes could be considered risk factors for certain kinds of cancer, but only smoking can be avoided. Prevention means avoiding the risk factors and increasing the protective factors that can be controlled so that the chance of developing cancer decreases. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test along with a digital rectal exam (DRE) to help detect prostate cancer in men age 50 and older.
 

Regarding symptoms, Prostate cancer often has no symptoms, particularly in the early stages. Some men may never have any symptoms or problems from the disease. Some types of prostate cancer can be slow-growing and may not become a serious threat to your health. Whereas others are a faster-growing and aggressive form and can be more harmful. You are more likely to get symptoms if and when your cancer grows in the prostate gland and narrows the urethra. Symptoms then include: problems urinating such as difficulty in starting to pass urine, a weak, sometimes intermittent flow of urine, dribbling of urine before and after urinating, a frequent or urgent need to pass urine or a need to get up several times in the night to urinate, a feeling that your bladder is not completely empty, pain when you orgasm, and rarely, blood in the urine.
 

These symptoms are similar to those produced by a common non-cancerous disease where the prostate becomes enlarged - benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). If you experience any of these symptoms, you should visit your physician for advice. If prostate cancer is found early, it can often be cured. However, if prostate cancer spreads to other parts of your body, other symptoms can develop. The most common site for prostate cancer to spread to is one or more bones, especially the lower back, pelvis and hips. These bones can become painful and tender.
 

Out of interest, there have been conflicting reports about whether the frequency of sexual activity influences the likelihood of a man developing prostate cancer. This study ( see link below - How to Avoid Prostate Cancer?) shows that a higher ejaculation frequency is not associated with an increased risk of prostatic cancer; on the contrary, it may be linked to a decreased risk. The findings can't be explained by interference of known risk factors such as age, family history, STD, smoking, or diet. Why should this be so? The doctors who did the study suggest that frequent ejaculation may alter the prostatic fluid found in the gland so that it contains fewer chemical carcinogens, which are known to accumulate there. Alternatively, frequent sexual activity may reduce the development of microscopic crystals within the prostate, which also have been reported in connection with prostate cancer.
 

Related Links
Prostate cancer
How to Avoid Prostate Cancer?
Prevention
The Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test