Warning Signs of Prostate Cancer You Should Never Ignore

Condition 14 October, 2026

Understanding prostate cancer

What is the prostate and why is it important?

The prostate is part of the male reproductive system. It’s a gland that produces the fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. It’s about the size of a walnut and sits underneath the bladder. It wraps around the tube that carries urine out of the body (urethra). This is why a prostate problem often causes urinary symptoms.

The prostate gland continues to grow throughout most of a man’s lifetime. The first major growth period is during puberty. The second growth period starts around age 25 and continues for the rest of a man’s life.

Risk factors for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate change to become abnormal. These cancer cells start growing in number uncontrollably.

One of the main risk factors for prostate cancer is advancing age. It’s most common in men aged 75–79 years. You also have a higher risk if you are part of the Black ethnic group and/or have a family history of prostate cancer, specifically, a close relative who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Changes in your genes can additionally affect your risk. Specifically, changes in a gene called BRCA2 increase your risk of prostate cancer, particularly more aggressive prostate cancer. BRCA2 is already known to increase the risk of breast cancer in women.

Recognising the warning signs of prostate cancer

In the early stages of prostate cancer, there may often be few signs.. As the cancer grows, a common sign is often changes in patterns of urination. This is because as the cancer grows, it can push against the urethra and bladder. However, there are also symptoms outside of urination.

Urinary symptoms of prostate cancer

Common prostate cancer symptoms that affect urination include:

Blood in your urine
Difficulty urinating – this includes difficulty starting, taking a long time and weak flow
Feeling like your bladder is not empty after urinating
More frequent urination, particularly at night
Sudden urges to urinate
Urine leakage – this includes leaking before reaching the toilet and leaking after urinating

Frequent urinary tract infections, which cause a burning sensation when urinating, can also occur in prostate cancer. Anyone with repeated urinary tract infections should have further investigation.

If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to see your GP as soon as possible.

Many of these symptoms also occur with non-cancerous conditions, such as an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia). However, it’s important to have your symptoms investigated to rule out prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer signs beyond urination

Symptoms of prostate cancer beyond urination include:

Blood in your semen
Erectile dysfunction – this includes difficulty getting and/or maintaining an erection
Fatigue

In advanced stage prostate cancer, such as metastatic prostate cancer, you may notice that you have lower back pain, hip pain and/or pelvic pain.

There are other causes for these symptoms, including unintentional weight loss and bone pain. However, these symptoms should still be investigated as soon as possible in case they are signs of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer differences with age

Prostate cancer symptoms tend not to be different across age ranges.

However, in general, prostate cancer in older men is slower growing. These types of prostate cancer can often be monitored for the rest of their life and may not ever need treatment.

In men under 60, prostate cancer tends to be more aggressive. This means it grows faster and can more easily invade other organs and tissues. In advanced cases, prostate cancer can spread to other organs, including the lungs, liver and bones.

How prostate health assessments can help

In the UK, there’s no national prostate cancer screening test. As early stage prostate cancer often causes no symptoms, getting an early diagnosis is often only possible if you have a private prostate health assessment.

At Vista Health, our prostate health assessment includes a blood test called the PSA test (prostate specific antigen test) and an MRI scan of your prostate.

The PSA test measures levels of a protein naturally produced by the prostate. A healthy prostate produces low PSA levels. PSA levels rise in a range of prostate conditions, including prostate cancer, an enlarged prostate and prostatitis, as well as during urinary tract infections.

A prostate MRI scan provides the highest resolution images of your prostate. This allows your doctor to check for any abnormalities, including abnormal growths.

When interpreted by an experienced doctor, the results of a prostate health assessment can provide reassurance about your prostate health.

If any abnormalities are detected, your doctor can explain what this means for you. They will discuss next steps, including whether you need additional tests, such as a prostate biopsy. A prostate biopsy forms an important part of the diagnostic pathway.

Get clarity on your prostate health

To give your prostate health an MOT, book your private prostate health assessment with Vista Health. Not only will you benefit from a PSA test and prostate MRI scan, but you’ll also receive personalised insights and interpretation of your results during a consultation with an expert Vista Health doctor.