When should I talk to my doctor about prostate cancer?

Two key times to talk to a doctor about prostate cancer

Prostate cancer often develops slowly and may not cause symptoms for many years. Take an active role in understanding your risk and ask your doctor or health care provider about prostate cancer:

• During routine check-ups, based on your age and risk level.
• As soon as you notice symptoms.

Start the conversation about prostate cancer at your regular health check-up

Prostate cancer risk increases as you get older. 

You should talk to a doctor or health care provider about prostate cancer screening if:

• You are 50 or older.
• You are 45 or older, and are Black or have African or Caribbean ancestry.
• You are 40 to 45 or older with a family history of prostate cancer (father, brother, uncle or grandfather).
• You have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer (mother or sister), or a known BRCA2 gene mutation which may increase risk.
• You are Indigenous, which increases your chances of being diagnosed at a younger age or with more advanced cancer.

The doctor may recommend tests and guide you on what to do next.

As prostate cancer often has no signs or symptoms early on, starting these conversations at the right age matters.

See a doctor if you have symptoms like problems with passing urine

Don’t wait for your next check-up if you notice worrying symptoms. Speak to a doctor or health care provider as soon as possible if you experience:

• Difficulty urinating, including weak flow, urgency, frequency, or needing to urinate often at night.
• Trouble starting urination or straining.
• Feeling that your bladder is not fully empty or there’s dribbling after urinating.
• Pain or burning during urination.
• Pain in the lower back or hips.
• Difficulty getting or maintaining an erection.
• Blood in urine or semen.

These symptoms are not always caused by prostate cancer, but they should always be checked by a doctor.

Prepare for your appointment with the doctor

So, you’ve decided to speak to a doctor. Nice one! The doctor will want to know about your general health, symptoms that concern you, and your family health history. Here's what you can do to prepare:

• Know your family health history. Especially if any male relatives have been diagnosed with or died of prostate cancer (brother, father, grandfather, or uncle), or your mother or sister have been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer.
• Make a note of any signs or symptoms of concern. Don't hold back. Problems when you're peeing? Noticed something isn't right during sex? Let the doctor know.
• Use reliable sources for information about prostate cancer, including Movember.

The doctor may talk to you about doing a PSA blood test. The sooner you can do this the better. Don’t delay.

PSA blood test to check for prostate cancer

The most common test that is recommended is the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test. This measures the level of PSA, a protein in your blood. Higher PSA levels can indicate a problem with the prostate, including cancer, but further testing may be needed to confirm this.

The doctor will discuss your PSA results with you. Depending on the outcome, you may:

• Need further tests.
• Continue to monitor over time.
• Require no immediate action.

You may have heard of the digital rectal exam (DRE) which is a quick physical check where the doctor or nurse slides a gloved finger in your back passage to feel your prostate. The DRE is no longer recommended as a first step, but if you have an increased PSA level the urologist may still check your prostate using a DRE before doing a biopsy.

Your doctor or health care team will guide you on the next steps.