Could it be symptom of prostate cancer?

Pradeeph
Pradeeph Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
Hi, I am Pradeep from Bangalore, India. My father is 65 and he was a very healthy person till he was 63. Never had any major health related problem. But 2 years (Oct 2008) back he had to undergone surgery at a Urology hospital at Shimoga to remove the stone formation over the prostate gland. He was quite ok after the surgery for 1.5 years and fell ill for few weeks later (Feb 2009). After the initial diagonsis and urine test doctor told it is urine infection and gave some tablets. But after 2 months (April 2010) one night he found problem urinating and severe pain while trying. He was admited to Apollo hospital in Bangalore immediately. After prior scanning and other tests, he underwent surgery to remove blood clots in the urinary passage. He was kept under examination for 2 days and discharged later. After a week, again he found this problem and underwent similar surgery and cleared the blood clots. After study, the pattern would be like constipation and followed by blood in urine and then clots. These two surgeries has brought his confidence level to minimum and has been over cautious since then. Last month (Oct 2010) he had similar experience (Constipation, blood clots in urine and burning sensation) and went to hospital. Doctor did scanning, urine test and some other test and prescribed few medicines and didnt tell any thing else. Upon asking as why the bleeding, he didn't reveal anything and just asked to continue with the medicine.

Even today my father is having this kind of seizures and have no clue as what is causing the bleeding. After doing study in internet, now I am worried that could it got to do anything with Prostate cancer? Kindly help me by providing your views on this.

Regards,
Pradeep

Comments

  • Kongo
    Kongo Member Posts: 1,166 Member
    Welcome
    Pradeep,

    Welcome to the forum and I'm sorry that your father is having these problems. It is very difficult from what you have described to know whether or not your father might have prostate cancer. Do you know what his PSA reading is? Have the doctors done a digital rectal exam (DRE)?

    It is certainly possible that all of the symptoms you've described are exactly what they seem: some complications from the surgery your father had back in 2008.

    In the United States PSA tests are routine for men your father's age as are digital rectal exams where the doctor feels the exterior of the prostate for abnormal texture or bumps. PSA is taken from a routine blood sample. Typically, if there is an elevated PSA reading (above 4.0 ng/ml) or a abnormal DRE, the doctor will want a urologist to do a prostate biopsy so they can examine the cells from different parts of the prostate for cancer. Only a biopsy can determine absolutely if prostate cancer is present.

    Besides the blood clots your father's doctors are treating in the urinary tract, another frequent cause of urinary difficulties in men his age is caused by an enlarged prostate or benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) where the tissue around the urinary tract that passes through the prostate is squeezed as the prostate gland grows, making it difficult to pass urine. There are drugs or physical procedures that can address this condition.

    I would have your father ask his doctors about what his PSA reading is and what the results of his DRE are. If those are normal, I wouldn't be worrying too much about prostate cancer.

    BTW, India has a much lower incidence of prostate cancer in men than does the United States.

    Best of luck to you and your father.