Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the U.S., yet it often goes unnoticed until it has reached an advanced stage. Why is this? The answer lies in silent symptoms, reluctance to get screened, and misunderstandings about what to watch for. Let’s break it down.
The Silent Killer: Early Symptoms That Are Too Easy to Ignore
Prostate cancer doesn’t always announce itself with obvious symptoms. In fact, during the early stages, it often grows unnoticed. This is one of the main reasons men don’t catch it in time. At first, the signs might be subtle—like frequent urination, trouble starting or stopping the flow, or waking up at night to use the bathroom. These seem like normal issues, right? Most men chalk them up to aging or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is common and non-cancerous. Unfortunately, this can allow cancer to progress, quietly, without a second thought.
