Sudden, sharp, rectal pain prior to diagnosis of prostate cancer

Hello, all.

As most of you know, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year and had a robotic prostatectomy in early March of this year.

Something occurred to me a few weeks ago, and I wanted to know if any of you had this issue long before you had any idea that you might have prostate concer.

I recalled that starting back in about 2004 or 2005 I would sometimes have these sudden, VERY sharp, shooting pains in my rectum. They were totally unpredictable. THey didn't happen very frequently, perhaps once or twice a week. But I do seem to recall that the frequency (per month) did seem to increase up into last year.

At the time, I didn't realize that the prostate sat up against the rear wall of the rectum. But having gone through the biopsy and surgery, and becoming a little more familiar with male anatomy, it has made me wonder...was the beginning of the cancer making itself known to me long before the PSA tests did?

Have any of you also experienced these pains prior to, or following, a prostate cancer diagnosis? Is this something that men should be told about as a potential warning sign of something going on in the prostate? Could it help as an early warning symptom for men?

Anyone have any thoughts, opinions, or information on this phenomenon?

Thanks.