Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer occuring in men in the United States today. It generally appears after the age of 50 and its incidence increases with age. Prostate cancer usually doesn't show any noticeable symptoms in its early stages and most men tend to ignore these early symptoms as being nothing more than a normal part of the ageing process. By the time they are aware of the symptoms, the cancer would have reached terminal stages of its development. So, what are the prostate cancer symptoms that we should be on the lookout for to prevent this situation from happening?

Early signs and symptoms of both benign and malignant prostate cancer can include the following:

- A need to urinate frequently, especially at night;

- Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine;

- Weak or interrupted flow of urine;

- Painful or burning urination;

- Difficulty in having an erection;

- Painful ejaculation;

- Blood in urine or semen; or

- Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips and upper thighs

These early prostate cancer symptoms are the body's warning signs that something is wrong inside our body. It may indicate the presence of other diseases or disorders such as the enlargement of the prostate gland (a condition called 'benign prostatic hyperplasia' or 'BPH' for short), prostatit, or some other forms of prostate infections which are usually benign. If left untreated, these conditions may become malignant and the cancer may start spreading beyond the prostate to the other part of our body. The only way to find out the truth of the condition and to control prostate cancer at its infancy is to undergo routine checkups with tests known as prostate-specific antigen, or a PSA test, and a digital rectal exam or DRE. Some statistics indicate that an early detection of the prostate cancer at its early stages increases your chances, by as high as 98%, for a full recovery from the cancer.

In its advanced stages, prostate cancer can spread to other parts of the body and have many other symptoms. For instance, if it spreads to the bones, it may cause pain in your back, hips, pelvis, and other bony areas. Other suspicious symptoms included weight loss, particularly in elderly men, and difficulty in getting an erection (where you haven't had difficulty before).