Our 24/7 cancer helpline provides information and answers for people dealing with cancer. We can connect you with trained cancer information specialists who will answer questions about a cancer diagnosis and provide guidance and a compassionate ear.
Chat live online
Select the Live Chat button at the bottom of the page
Our highly trained specialists are available 24/7 via phone and on weekdays can assist through video calls and online chat. We connect patients, caregivers, and family members with essential services and resources at every step of their cancer journey. Ask us how you can get involved and support the fight against cancer. Some of the topics we can assist with include:
- Referrals to patient-related programs or resources
- Donations, website, or event-related assistance
- Tobacco-related topics
- Volunteer opportunities
- Cancer Information
For medical questions, we encourage you to review our information with your doctor.
-
- Can Prostate Cancer Be Found Early?
- Screening Tests for Prostate Cancer
- American Cancer Society Recommendations for Prostate Cancer Early Detection
- Insurance Coverage for Prostate Cancer Screening
- Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
- Tests to Diagnose and Stage Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Cancer Stages
- Risk Groups and Lab Tests to Help Determine Risk from Localized Prostate Cancer
- Survival Rates for Prostate Cancer
- Questions to Ask About Prostate Cancer
-
- Observation or Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer
- Surgery for Prostate Cancer
- Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer
- Cryotherapy, HIFU, and Other Ablative Treatments for Prostate Cancer
- Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer
- Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer
- Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer
- Targeted Drug Therapy for Prostate Cancer
- Treatments for Prostate Cancer Spread to Bones
- Considering Treatment Options for Early Prostate Cancer
- Initial Treatment of Prostate Cancer, by Stage and Risk Group
- Following PSA Levels During and After Prostate Cancer Treatment
- Treating Prostate Cancer That Doesn’t Go Away or Comes Back After Treatment
- If You Have Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Cancer Videos
- Prostate Cancer Quiz
Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
Most prostate cancers are found early, through screening.
Early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms. While not common, symptoms of early prostate cancer might include:
- Problems urinating, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night
- Blood in the urine or semen
Along with the symptoms above, more advanced prostate cancer can sometimes cause other symptoms, such as:
- Trouble getting an erection (erectile dysfunction or ED)
- Pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs), or other areas, from cancer that has spread to the bones
- Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet, or even loss of bladder or bowel control, from cancer in the spine pressing on the spinal cord
- Weight loss
- Feeling very tired
Most of these symptoms are more likely to be caused by something other than prostate cancer. For example, trouble urinating is much more often caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous growth of the prostate.
Still, it’s important to tell your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms so that the cause can be found and treated, if needed. Some men might need more tests to check for prostate cancer.
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
National Cancer Institute. Physician Data Query (PDQ). Prostate Cancer Treatment. 2023. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/hp/prostate-treatment-pdq on July 12, 2023.
Taplin ME, Smith JA. Clinical presentation and diagnosis of prostate cancer. UpToDate. 2023. Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-presentation-and-diagnosis-of-prostate-cancer on July 12, 2023.
Last Revised: November 22, 2023
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
American Cancer Society Emails
Sign up to stay up-to-date with news, valuable information, and ways to get involved with the American Cancer Society.