As prostate cancer can grow for several years before it shows any signs, a number of tests are used in an effort to diagnose the disease before it begins to cause symptoms. Raised levels of this protein can indicate a problem with the prostate gland but this does not necessarily mean that cancer is present. In combination with this test, a rectal examination is often carried out and this can determine the size, shape and texture of the prostate gland. These are called screening tests and, at present, it is not totally clear if these tests are helpful as they do not diagnose all cancers and may result in the unnecessary investigation of a large number of men who will not have prostate cancer. However, some doctors currently recommend that men over 50 have a regular screening that usually consists of a rectal examination and a blood test.
Prostate cancer can cause symptoms in two main ways.
In this situation, bone pain, particularly in the pelvis, hips or lower back can occur and these symptoms should always be investigated. If prostate cancer is diagnosed, you may be given a stage which refers to the extent to which the cancer has grown. Here, the doctor combines information from the rectal examination, the biopsy and various scans in order to indicate the liklihood that the cancer is still contained within the prostate gland or has spread. You may be given a score or grade for the cancer. The most common system for scoring the severity of prostate cancer is the Gleason Grading system.