Prostate cancer differential diagnosis
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Prostate cancer must be differentiated from benign prostatic hypertrophy, renal cancer, renal stones, bladder cancer, and cystitis.
Differential diagnosis
Prostate cancer must be differentiated from:
- Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)
- Renal cancer
- Renal stones
- Bladder cancer
- Cystitis
- Glomerulonephritis
- Prostatitis
- Pyelonephritis
Benign prostatic hypertrophy
- The main difference between BPH and prostate cancer is that even though the prostate gland is enlarged in both, in BPH it is a benign or noncancerous condition. BPH is very common especially as a man ages and his prostate begins to grow. When this happens, it puts pressure on the urethra resulting in the following symptoms:
- An urgent need to urinate
- Having the need to urinate many times during the day and night
- Hesitancy or troubling starting a urine flow
- Weak or dribbling urine stream
- Digital rectal exam and elevated blood test called prostate specific antigen or PSA, can confirm if it might be BPH.
- BPH does not cause prostate cancer and unlike prostate cancer, it cannot spread to other areas of the body.