Health Tools

Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.

	Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition.
	Cancer: Controlling Cancer Pain
	Cancer: Controlling Nausea and Vomiting From Chemotherapy
	Stress Management: Breathing Exercises for Relaxation

Cause

The exact cause of prostate cancer is not known, but experts believe your age and family history may have something to do with your chances of getting the disease. Prostate cancer is very common and is an older man's disease. Most men who get it are older than 65.

Symptoms

Prostate cancer may not cause noticeable symptoms. Possible symptoms of locally advanced prostate cancer are:

• Urinary problems, such as:
  • Not being able to urinate at all.
  • Having a hard time starting or stopping the flow of urine.
  • Having to urinate often, especially at night.
  • Having pain or burning during urination.
• Difficulty having an erection.
• Blood in your urine or semen.
• Deep and frequent pain in your lower back, belly, hip, or pelvis.

These symptoms also may be caused by:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is an enlarged prostate. This is very common in older men. The prostate usually grows larger with age. When it gets large enough, it can press against the urethra and cause urination problems.
• Prostatitis, an infection in the prostate.
• Urinary tract infection, an infection in any of the organs and tubes that process and carry urine out of the body.

Symptoms that may indicate the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, or metastasized, include:

• Weight loss.
• Bone pain.
• Swelling in the legs and feet.