A prostate cancer symptom can mimic symptoms of the more benign medical conditions such as enlarged prostate (BPH) or prostatitis. Frequently, a doctor first detects signs of prostate cancer during a routine examination. That’s why you should visit your doctor if you are experiencing any of the symptoms below:

- Difficulty in urinating or holding urine

- Frequent urination, particularly at night

- Weak or intermittent urine flow

- A painful or burning sensation when urinating

- Blood in urine or semen

- Difficulty in achieving an erection or painful ejaculations

- Frequent lower back pain or stiffness in the upper thighs and hips

There are other factors that can affect your risk of developing prostate cancer, which 1 out of 6 American men are afflicted with. This makes it the most common type of non-skin cancer for men. These other risk factor include:

Age. As men age, the risk of developing prostate cancer rises. The odds for men under 40 being diagnosed with prostate cancer are roughly between 1 – 10,000. However, as men approach the 40 – 59 year range, the risk increases to 1 in 38. For men between 60 – 69, the rate jumps sharply to between 1 – 15.

Family genetics. A man with a father or brother that’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer is 2 times more likely to develop it himself. If the prostate cancer was diagnosed in those family members at an early age (say, younger than 55), or if 3 or more family members were affected, the risk jumps greatly.

Race. African-American men are 60% more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men, with their odds of dying from the disease more than twice that of whites. For all men in the U.S., the prostate cancer risk is about 17%. The cancer rates for Asian men living in rural Asia are the lowest (about 2%), but when they move to the Western culture, their risk goes up dramatically.

Location. U.S. men living in cities north of 40 degrees latitude (say, north of Columbus or Philadelphia) have the highest risk of dying from prostate cancer than men living elsewhere in the country. That tendency is widely attributed to the lower levels of sunlight available during the wintertime, reducing important Vitamin D levels and increasing cancer risks.

Here are some additional risk factors that can lead to exhibiting prostate cancer symptoms and the aggressive development of prostate cancer:

- Significant lack of high-fiber vegetables (e.g., broccoli) in the diet

- High calcium consumption

- Lack of exercise because of a sedentary way of life

- Excessive height.

Factors and conditions that don’t seem to increase your risks for developing prostate cancer include:

- Obesity, or a high body mass index (BMI)

- Enlarged prostate (or BPH)

- Prostatitis

- Hypersexuality

- Vasectomies

- Prescription and over-the-counter drugs

- Alcohol

More than 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year in the U.S., and 32,000 men will die this year from it. Author Darrin Paulsent researched the subject in order to help men better distinguish between a legitimate prostate cancer symptom and the much more common prostate enlarged symptoms that are easily treatable.