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Illustrated Health Encyclopedia
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Ency. home > Disease > P > Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Cancer - prostate

Symptoms

With the advent of PSA testing, most prostate cancers are now found before they cause symptoms. Additionally, while most of the symptoms listed below can be associated with prostate cancer, they are more likely to be associated with non-cancerous conditions.

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

Signs and Tests

A rectal exam often reveals the hard, irregular surface of an enlarged prostate.

Testing considerations:

  • PSA (prostate specific antigen) may be elevated, although other conditions such as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) can cause the PSA to rise.
  • Free PSA may be more specific in differentiating BPH from prostate cancer.
  • Urinalysis may reveal blood in the urine.
  • Urine or prostatic fluid cytology may reveal atypical cells.
  • A prostate biopsy confirms the diagnosis.
  • CT scans may be performed to rule out metastasis (spread of the cancer).
  • A bone scan may be performed to rule out metastasis.
  • Chest X-ray may be performed to rule out metastasis.

Ency. home > Disease > P > Prostate cancer


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