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How to Check for Prostate Cancer at Home?

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Medically Reviewed by Dr. Aman Priya Khanna
Written by Rajath R Prabhu, last updated on 13 January 2023| min read
How to Check for Prostate Cancer at Home?

Quick Summary

Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the prostate gland. The prostate is a small gland in men that helps make semen.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, after skin cancer. It is usually found in men over the age of 50.

The symptoms of prostate cancer can include:

  • Difficulty urinating
  • Painful or burning urination
  • Blood in the urine or semen
  • Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis
  • Erectile dysfunction

Cancer is a condition similar to slow poison that kills an individual a little with each passing day. No definitive study features the precise cause of this abnormal growth or proliferation of cells and its metastasis. According to WHO (World Health Organisation), the five most common types of cancers are breast, colon, lungs, rectum, and prostate. Out of these, prostate cancer is a hidden evil of which all men are at risk. 

Prostate cancer is as common as about every 1 in 9 males are found to be diagnosed with it. However, the death rate due to this disease can be significantly reduced when an individual, particularly men, are aware of the early steps they can take. For this, it's vital to know the procedure to check the prostate to prevent cancerous episodes. The potential signs and symptoms are considered accountable for checking prostate cancer at home. Before this, let's see what exactly prostate cancer is.

What is Prostate Cancer?

The prostate is a part of the male genitalia, essentially a gland that works at producing seminal fluid. This fluid functions in nourishment and the transportation of sperm. Cancer occurring in this small walnut-shaped gland is known as prostate cancer. Most prostate cancer types are found to grow at a slow pace; however, a few can turn out to be aggressive and spread to other body parts.
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How to Check for Prostate Cancer at Home?

The procedure to check the prostate cancer at home rely on the symptoms to a great extent. Keeping an eye on the unusual changes in the body can help an individual to reach close to the cancer diagnosis and its early detection. Below are some of the prostate cancer symptoms that should not be overlooked. 

  1. Problems with the pee 
    Problems with urination or peeing is a symptoms of the advanced stage. An individual suffering from prostate cancer can experience a decreased flow of urine. The process of urination can appear troublesome, i.e. painful or a frequent urge to pee.
    Also, one can take a long time to initiate the first stream. This can be accompanied by a weak flow of urine, a burning sensation while urinating, and a feeling of unsatisfactory emptying of the bladder. Further, haematuria or the appearance of blood in the urine, is another potential symptom of prostate cancer. 
  2. Problem with the genitalia 
    For the ones wondering how to check prostate cancer at home, changes in sexual behaviour should never be ignored. Prostate cancer can feature pain in the testicles of men. One can even experience difficulty in achieving a proper erection and the inability to maintain it for a longer time. 
    Along with erectile dysfunctions, ejaculatory problems can also exist in prostate cancer patients. The process of ejaculation can be painful, and the volume of ejaculatory fluid can decrease. Just like urine, blood cells in the semen can also be seen. 
  3. Symptoms in the lower body 
    Pain in the body's lower extremities, accompanied by other symptoms above, can indicate the advanced stage of prostate cancer. The areas where pain or stiffness can be felt are the hips, thighs, lower back, and pelvic region. 
    The pain can be frequent enough, and the intensity can vary from person to person. Also, distress or pressure can be felt in the rectum. Observing these collective symptoms can be an efficient procedure for checking the prostate at home. 
  4. General symptoms
    General symptoms such as loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, and constant fatigue can be featured in the case of prostate cancer. An individual can even experience swelling on the feet due to fluid buildup. Also, pain in the shoulders and other bones of the body, along with changes in the digestive processes, can be felt when the prostate cancer is metastasised, i.e. spreading to other body parts. 
  5. Appearance of Prostate 
    Cancerous cells dwelling in the prostate gland can alter the structure as well. In some cases, swelling or enlargement of the prostate gland can be seen; however, this cannot stand as a strong symptom to check prostate cancer at home. 

Tests and Procedure to Check the Prostate Health

Most of the symptoms of prostate cancer become apparent when the disease has moved to an advanced stage. Also, cancer is more likely to spread to other body parts at this stage. To prevent this, it's better to opt for tests or procedures to check prostate health before it's too late. Given below are some of them: 

  1. Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Test 
    PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland. The function of PSA is to maintain the semen in its liquid state. PSA blood test is utilised to know the levels of this protein in the bloodstream. If the blood test reports show higher than the normal PSA levels in men, it can suggest prostate cancer. 
    This test can be a notable answer for how to check for prostate cancer at home, as there are diagnostic centres or pathology labs that provide home sample collection services for PSA test. 
    However, it is important to know that the PSA levels can also elevate in the blood in other conditions. Thus, it's always better to correlate the results with symptoms and other diagnostic tests. 
  2. Free PSA 
    PSA in the blood is found in 2 types. One is bound to the protein, i.e. complexed PSA, and the other is not attached to any molecule, i.e. free PSA. The normal PSA test shows total PSA levels in the blood, including bound and free PSA. However, the free PSA blood test determines the levels of free-flowing PSA in the bloodstream. 
    The levels of free PSA in the blood have great significance in diagnosing prostate cancer. Low levels of free PSA can suggest a higher probability of a person having prostate cancer. 
    Also, this test is considered a better indicator than the total PSA, provided it is correlated with other investigations. Hence, the quest of how to check for prostate cancer at home can again be justified here. 
  3. Prostate Health Index (PHI) 
    PHI is another useful parameter for assessing prostate health. This test is found to have the potential to assess even high-grade prostate cancers that can be preferred over biopsy. PHI is based on the calculation of isoforms of PSA found in the blood. 
    Premature PSA or pro-PSA, total PSA and free PSA; all three are included for calculating and taking out the Prostate Health Index. 
  4. Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) 
    DRE, or Digital Rectal Examination, is a procedure to check the prostate health that requires a medical practitioner. In this test, the doctor examines the rectum by physical means, i.e. inserting a finger of the gloved hand with an application of lubricant to make it less painful. The doctor looks for abnormalities in the rectum or anus, such as the presence of hard or soft masses, the size of the prostate, if the prostate has swelled, and so on. This analysis is then linked with other advanced tests to arrive at the exact diagnosis. Like PSA, this test alone cannot stand as a definite indicator. 
  5. Other procedures 
    Besides prostate cancer tests, other procedures to check the prostate are ultrasound and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). 
    Transrectal ultrasound can make a medical practitioner view the image of the prostate gland with the help of sound waves. Whereas, when the doctor is looking for a more detail-oriented scan, MRI is advised to the patient. 
    Further, the more advanced procedure to check for prostate cancer also involves a biopsy. For this test, a thin section of the prostate tissue is extracted to know the cancerous cells' presence. 

Risk Factors of Prostate Cancer

It has been deemed that almost all men are at risk of developing prostate cancer in their lifetime. Hence, they are expected to be aware of how to check for prostate cancer at home, keeping an eye on the symptoms and risk factors. Here are some of the risk factors of prostate cancer that can increase the likelihood of this disease:

  1. Genetics is the first and foremost risk factor for prostate cancer. If the family medical history features prostate cancer, i.e. an individual's father or brother has or had this disease, then his chances of suffering from the same increase more than two times. Thus, he needs to go for procedures to check the prostate annually. 
  2. The second noteworthy risk factor for prostate cancer is age. It is found that older men are at a higher risk as there are rare incidences of young men who have prostate cancer. Also, the major cases of prostate cancer are reported in patients above 65 years of age.
  3. Obesity is another risk factor, as men with excess weight were found to develop prostate cancer of severe stage. Also, there have been cases of obese men dying of prostate cancer. Lack of physical activities or a sedentary lifestyle results in the accumulation of extra fat in the body. All this can contribute to the development of prostate cancer to some extent. 

Takeaway

Prostate cancer is one of the slowest-growing cancers, and hence for years, an individual might not show any symptoms. Also, not all men with prostate cancer face the advanced stage; however, there's also no guarantee of one not experiencing it in their whole life. Thus, it's always better to know how to check for prostate cancer at home or about various prostate procedures. 

Besides, it is vital to know that examing for prostate cancer at home is not considered a safe practice, this is because cancer screening is an intricate process based on various medical aspects rather than mere signs or symptoms. Hence, it is advised to seek the help of a medical practitioner as soon as the body features unusual changes and not rely on the self-analysis done at home. 

HexaHealth is at your service to offer you the right medical knowledge and provide you with the best experience in healthcare. Contact HexaHealth to resolve your health concerns by consulting our experts.

Frequently Asked Questions

To check prostate cancer at home,  you must look for the symptoms of this disease, such as urinary problems, unexplained weight loss, erectile dysfunction and so on. However, it is always advised to seek the help of a doctor to have your prostate health assessed annually. 

There are no symptoms when prostate cancer is at its early stage. However, the five-strong signs of prostate cancer are 

  1. Problems with urination 
  2. Pain in the lower body 
  3. Blood in urine and semen 
  4. Erectile dysfunction 
  5. Unexplained weight loss
The start of prostate cancer does not show any signs or symptoms. An individual would not experience discomfort or pain unless cancer progresses to its advanced stage.
Yes, checking the prostate gland can be an effective diagnosis of prostate cancer. This is because procedures to check the prostate gland, such as PSA blood tests, physical rectal examinations, etc., help detect or rule out cancer.
If you wish to know that your prostate is healthy, you must consider doing the diagnostic tests prescribed for the prostate gland. PSA is one of the most common and widely used tests for this.
You can feel the prostate by inserting the finger in the anus, i.e. through the rectum or by placing the finger on the back half of the perineum near the rectum. However, it is advised to consult a doctor for proper prostate analysis.
Obvious signs of an enlarged prostate are problems related to urination, such as difficulty in urinating, less flow of urine, the frequent urge to pee, etc. If you experience any or all of these, there is a higher chance that the prostate is enlarged or swollen.
5-alpha reductase inhibitors are drugs found to shrink the size of the prostate gland. Finasteride and dutasteride are the two easily available 5-alpha reductase inhibitors.
An enlarged prostate can return to its normal size with medical help. Certain medications cause significant reductions in most cases. However, in some severe cases, medical practitioners can even suggest surgery when the medicines are ineffective.
Several reasons cause the prostate gland to enlarge. The most common reason is the changes in the body's hormonal levels in older men.
Frequent urination, difficulty in passing urine, less urine flow, blood in urine, etc., are some signs that can make you feel the presence of swollen prostate. Also, you can consider going for a rectal examination to know if the prostate is swollen. 
The urologist can prescribe you alpha-blockers to reduce the prostate's size. Depending on the severity level, the urologist can also suggest an operative procedure for prostate removal.
If an enlarged prostate is left untreated for a long, it can cause complications. These include the inability to urinate, frequent urinary tract infections and other problems related to the kidneys.

The normal prostate should feel smooth with no hard or bulky mass. Usually, the consistency of the prostate is even and firm. However, hard spots on the prostate can be felt in case of swelling or enlargement. 

A series of problems initiate in the body when the prostate health is not in good shape. Some of them are difficulty peeing, weak urine flow, haematuria, blood in semen, erectile dysfunction, less volume of the ejaculatory fluid, urinary tract infection, etc. 

Last Updated on: 13 January 2023

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational and learning purposes only. It doesn't cover every medical condition and might not be relevant to your personal situation. This information isn't medical advice, isn't meant for diagnosing any condition, and shouldn't replace talking to a certified medical or healthcare professional.

Reviewer

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

MBBS, DNB General Surgery, Fellowship in Minimal Access Surgery, FIAGES

12 Years Experience

Dr Aman Priya Khanna is a well-known General Surgeon, Proctologist and Bariatric Surgeon currently associated with HealthFort Clinic, Health First Multispecialty Clinic in Delhi. He has 12 years of experience in General Surgery and worke...View More

Author

Rajath R Prabhu

Rajath R Prabhu

MSc. Clinical Research I PG Diploma in Public Health Services Management

3 Years Experience

His work in medical content writing and proofreading is noteworthy. He has also contributed immensely to public health research and has authored four scientific manuscripts in international journals. He was assoc...View More

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