Prostate cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages, and when symptoms do appear, they’re usually related to urination or signs that the cancer has spread.

Key point to know

  • Early prostate cancer may cause no symptoms at all.
  • Symptoms can be caused by other, more common conditions (like benign prostate enlargement or infection), so they don’t automatically mean cancer, but they should never be ignored.

Common urinary symptoms

These are the symptoms people usually notice first, but many are also seen with non‑cancerous prostate problems:

  • Difficulty starting to pee or needing to strain.
  • Weak, slow, or “stop‑start” urine stream.
  • Feeling that the bladder does not fully empty.
  • Dribbling after finishing.
  • Needing to pee more often, especially at night.
  • A strong or sudden urge to pee, sometimes with leaking on the way to the toilet.
  • Pain or burning when urinating.

“Red flag” symptoms

These symptoms are more worrying and should be checked urgently:

  • Blood in the urine.
  • Blood in the semen.
  • Painful ejaculation.
  • New difficulty getting or keeping an erection.
  • Unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, or unusual fatigue.
  • Persistent pain in the lower back, hips, pelvis, or bones.
  • Weakness in the legs or problems controlling urine if the cancer is pressing on nerves.

Early vs advanced symptoms

  • Early prostate cancer
    • Often no symptoms at all, or only mild urinary changes (weak stream, getting up at night, urgency).
  • Advanced prostate cancer (spread outside the prostate)
    • Persistent bone or back pain, especially in the hips, pelvis, or ribs.
* Marked tiredness and weight loss.

* More severe urinary problems or incontinence (leaking).

When to see a doctor

You should contact a doctor promptly if:

  • You notice blood in your urine or semen.
  • You develop new or worsening urinary symptoms (especially if they come on suddenly or get progressively worse).
  • You have persistent bone, back, or hip pain that doesn’t go away.
  • You have concerning general symptoms like weight loss or extreme tiredness.

Even if it turns out not to be cancer, these symptoms deserve a proper medical check.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.