Prostate cancer is one of the common cancers that affect men. Prostate cancer rarely produces obvious symptoms in the early stages, though a few signs may signal that there is some problem in the prostate. If you note and check the signs early, you can detect prostate cancer in the early stages, increasing the chances of recovery.

Warning signs of prostate cancer

• Frequent urination at night
• Blood in urine or semen
• Difficulty in stopping or starting urination
• Weak urine flow
• Pain around the prostate while sitting
• Swelling in the lower part of the body, back, hips, or bone
• Abnormal bowel movement
• Unexplained weight loss

If you are experiencing either one or more signs of prostate cancer, make sure you promptly consult a physician. You should take even non-cancerous conditions like prostate enlargement seriously and get timely medical attention.

Stages of prostate cancer
Staging prostate cancer is a complex process that involves multiple tests. Doctors use the results of the tests to help determine the stage of cancer or how far it has progressed. The staging of prostate cancer is determined based on the TNM system developed by the highly recognized American Joint Committee on cancer.

The three key components of the system are as follows.

• T (Tumor) describes the size, location, and depth of the tumor growth in the tissues of the prostate gland
• N (Node) indicates whether the cells have spread to the nearby lymph nodes or the channels that connect the lymph nodes
• M (Metastasis) indicates whether cancer cells have spread to other organs and tissues

The stages of cancer help the doctor and patient find the most appropriate options for treatment. The stages of prostate cancer are ranked from stage 1 to stage 4.

1. Stage 1
If the cancer is on one side of the prostate, it is stage 1. Here, the tumor usually grows slowly. In this stage, the PSA level may not be high, cancer may not be felt during a DRE, and the cells may look healthy. The lymph nodes are not affected in Stage1.

2. Stage 2
The PSA levels in stage 2 are medium or low. The cancer is found either on one side of the prostate gland or both sides and can be large enough to be felt during the DRE. The cancer cells can be easily differentiated in this stage of cancer. In this stage, cancer would not have yet spread to other parts.

3. Stage 3
When PSA levels are high, and the tumor grows, the cancer is considered high grade, and it falls into stage 3. The cancerous cells are more likely to grow and spread in stage 3. Sometimes it extends beyond the outer layer of the prostate into the nearby tissues as well.

4. Stage 4
In this stage, cancer cells spread beyond the prostate to the regional lymph nodes, the distant lymph nodes, and other parts of the body or the bones.