Clinical manifestations of prostate cancer

Because prostate cancer often occurs in the posterior lobe, grows slowly, and is insidious, early symptoms are not obvious. Once symptoms appear, they are usually in the late stage. The main manifestation of late prostate cancer is lower urinary tract obstruction, or accompanied by hematuria and urinary retention. The most prominent symptom is pain.

l. Urinary dysfunction

80% of prostate cancer patients experience progressive dysuria, thinning or deviated urine flow, bifurcated urine flow, prolonged urination, frequent urination, urgency, pain, and a feeling of incomplete urination due to the cancer. In severe cases, urine dripping and urine retention may occur. Only 3% of patients have hematuria.

2. Pain

Pain in the lumbar region, buttocks, hips, pelvis, and sciatica is common and severe and unbearable. It may be caused by cancer metastasis to the bones, invasion of nerves, or hydronephrosis and kidney inflammation. About 31% of patients experience pain.

3. Metastatic symptoms

In addition to local symptoms caused by prostate cancer occurring within the prostate capsule, the most important thing is that it also metastasizes to other parts of the body, posing a serious threat to the patient's life. Common metastatic sites are lymph nodes, bones and internal organs. The poorer the differentiation of prostate cancer, the higher the rate of lymph node metastasis. One-third to two-thirds of patients have lymph node metastasis when they first seek medical treatment, first invading the obturator, internal iliac, and common iliac lymphatic circulations, and then extending upward to the paralumbar lymph nodes, which can cause enlarged lymph nodes in the corresponding parts and swelling of the lower limbs. Hematogenous metastasis is more common in bones, internal organs and brain.