2023-11-03 19:00:12
Prostate cancer causes the death of 8,000 men each year in France, or 1 death per hour. Here are its characteristic signs and symptoms.
Summary
November is the month of awareness of male cancers including prostate cancer, through the challenge of Movember. The prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in France: 50,000 new cases are recorded each year and he causes more than 8,000 deaths (is around 1 death every hour). All men are advised to discuss possible screening for prostate cancer with their doctor. 50 ans “or even earlier, around 40-45 years old, depending on their ethnic origins (African/Afro-Caribbean) and family history” explains Dr Natacha Naoun, oncologist specializing in Genito-Urinary oncology at Gustave Roussy, before detailing the symptoms that can alert regarding possible prostate cancer.
At the beginning, no typical symptoms?
Initially, prostate cancer is often asymptomatic. However, some symptomscan lead to its accidental identification” comments the oncologist. “Of the urinary signs with difficulty urinating and/or bleedingand digestive signs as the back of the prostate is close to the rectum but all this is extremely rare when the cancer is localized. Generally, the man discovers it during an assessment. for urinary disorders or by dosage you PSA (prostate specific antigen).”
Frequent urges to urinate?
The prostate is located below the bladder, hence a prostate problem can manifest itself as urinary dysfunction (frequent urge to urinate, feeling of not being able to empty your bladder, difficulty urinating…) but it is not necessarily a sign of cancer. “The prostate is a gland that tends to degenerate into enlargement with age.it’s a phenomenon normal and progressive which can be accompanied by an increase in its volume which is called “adenoma” or benign prostatic hypertrophy, explains Dr. Naoun.
Diagram of prostate cancer © blueringmedia – stock.adobe.com / Journal des Femmes
Adenoma does not mean cancer.
The adenoma is what gives the most symptoms, including urinary symptoms. The adenoma is benign and not related to cancer.“ In the event of urinary problems, you should consult the urologist or treating physician to see if there is an adenoma. “On this occasion, can be found cancer of the prostate via PSA measurement or on tissue analysis when the adenoma is removed to relieve urinary problems (but this is not systematic, adenoma does not mean cancer, editor’s note)” specifies Dr Naoun.
Physical symptoms?
“Most of the time, none. The person feels good” replies our interlocutor. When there are physical symptoms “they are most often linked to prostate adenoma which can lead to the discovery of cancer but it is not this which causes it”. A advanced illness can cause physical symptoms “but they are not specific to prostate cancer and can be seen in other cancers.”
10% of prostate cancers are immediately metastatic
Pains ?
“There is no pain specific to prostate cancer” replies Dr. Naoun. If pain does not go away, consult your doctor to discuss it. At advanced stagethere may be painnotably bony as bone is the main site of metastatic spread of prostate cancer.
What are the symptoms of advanced prostate cancer?
Environ 10% of prostate cancers are immediately metastatic that is to say when they were discovered. People who have localized forms of cancer can also progress to metastatic forms. “The first site for prostate cancer metastases is the bonesadvanced disease may manifest as bone pain“ explains the oncologist. The man can also present a alteration of general condition, fatigue, loss of weight, appetite “but these Signs of metastatic disease are not specific for prostate cancer. It may be metastases from other cancers since prostate cancer occurs at an age when the risk of cancer is already greater.” she continues.
At what age does prostate cancer occur?
“The average age of onset of prostate cancer is around 68 ans, in any case over 65 years old. There are also some early forms in subjects of African and Afro-Caribbean origin, and when there is a history of prostate cancer in the family, especially if the related have fallen young patients” replies Dr. Naoun.
When to consult your doctor?
“You should not rely on symptoms to talk to the doctor but anticipate” recommends Dr. Naoun. You should consult your doctor at age 50 or even earlier if you have a history of prostate cancer in the family. During this consultation, you must inform him of cases of prostate cancer, but also breast, ovarian or pancreatic cancer in the family. “In the context of mutations which can be hereditary, we can find clustered cases in the family” specifies our interlocutor. There is no no organized screening for prostate cancer (as it exists for breast cancer in women, editor’s note) because “we are not certain that early diagnosis is relevant. There is debate. For subjects of a certain age who have had a PSA, there is a risk of over-treating them and worsening their overall health for a cancer that would probably not have killed them, so screening is done on a case-by-case basis. ” explains our interlocutor. If in doubt, the doctor will ask for a dosage of PSA.
An elevated PSA level is not 100% indicative of prostate cancer.
“No PSA is prostate specific antigenit’s a prostate cancer blood marker but its increase does not mean in 100% of cases that there is cancer. It can also increase in the event of prostatitis (inflammation or infection of the prostate, editor’s note), warns the oncologist. SIf it is high on a first dosage, we will check it once more.“ Other examinations may be carried out depending on the results: rectal examination, prostate MRI or even prostate biopsies.
Can a woman have symptoms of prostate cancer?
Non, a woman cannot have symptoms of prostate cancer since she does not have a prostate. “The prostate is a gland that exists only in men and is part of the male reproductive system” recalls Dr. Naoun. There is therefore no prostate cancer in women.
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