Patient/caregiver was instructed upon complications of prostate cancer as follows:
Prostate is a gland in males that surrounds the urethra and located between the urinary bladder and penis.
For reasons unclear, prostate gland in some individuals can develop cancerous growths. Prostate cancers can be small and benign and not present with any symptoms, especially in the initial stages. As the cancer grows bigger and if it spreads to other body parts, prostate cancer can present with severe symptoms and resulting complications. As prostate surrounds the urethra, bigger cancer mass in the prostate can press onto and narrow/close the urethra, interrupting the urine flow. This can result in weak urine stream and reduced urine volume with backed-up urine. Also, spread of the cancer (metastasis) can involve lymph nodes and distant sites, such as, bone, liver, lungs, and brain.
Urine back-up and metastasis of cancer to distant sites can result in the following complications –
- Backing-up of urine into bladder: Obstruction to the outflow of urine from the bladder in individuals with prostate cancer can result in difficulty emptying the urinary bladder. Continued growth of cancer can worsen this complaint progressively, resulting in heavily backed-up urine into the bladder.
- Frequent urge and nocturia: Increased volumes of retained urine in the bladder can cause frequent urge to urinate, thus contributing to frequency. Increased frequency, especially during the night (nocturia) can lead to sleep disturbance and multiple restroom trips.
- Lower abdominal pain & discomfort: Cancerous growth in the prostate complemented with backed-up urine in the bladder can result in severe incapacitating pain & discomfort in the lower abdomen.
