Prostate Cancer and Groin Pain

Prostate cancer is one of the most common causes of groin pain.

The prostate is a gland located between the bladder and the penis and in front of the rectum. It's often described as being about the size of a walnut. The urethra passes through the center of the prostate. Prostate cancer can damage the small, sensitive nerves and blood vessels that surround the prostate. Groin pain can result from the cancer itself as it progresses to later stages, and there may also be groin pain during the recovery after prostate cancer surgery. 

Prostate cancer usually grows slowly. Often, it takes several years for prostate cancer to reach a stage in which it's detectable. However, in a small percentage of cases, prostate cancer grows more quickly and aggressively.

Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the world. In fact, in the United States alone, it's the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer. Prostate is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among U.S. men (after lung cancer).

A man who doesn't smoke is more likely to get prostate cancer than all the following cancers combined: lung, bronchus, colon, rectal, bladder, lymphoma, melanoma, oral and kidney cancer.

Approximately 15 percent of American men develop prostate cancer sometime during their life. More than 200,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. About 30,000 die from their prostate cancer.

The 5-year survival rate for prostate cancer diagnosed at all stages is 98%. The relative 10-year survival rate is 84% and the 15-year survival rate is 56%.
About 70,000 men require additional treatment each year due to a recurrence of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer diagnosis

Early prostate cancer usually features no groin pain or other symptoms. It is most commonly detected through prostate cancer screening tests such as the PSA blood test and digital rectal exam.

The PSA Test Prostate specific antigens are enzymes produced in the prostate. The enzyme is found in the seminal fluid and the bloodstream. A high or "elevated" PSA level in the bloodstream doesn't necessarily indicate prostate cancer because PSA can also rise if there's an infection or other prostate conditions present. Many men with an elevated PSA do not have prostate cancer.

But a PSA level higher than 4.0 nanograms per milliliter of serum has been established as the standard "warning point." A PSA level above 4.0 may trigger a prostate biopsy as a further test for prostate cancer.

Some doctors and researchers believe that men with a PSA level greater than 2.5 should have biopsies to increase the likelihood that prostate cancer might be detected earlier, leading to a better outcome. This issue is somewhat controversial as of this writing.

Most doctors believe the PSA test is a helpful prostate cancer screen tool, but an imperfect one. A man can have prostate cancer and still have a PSA level in the “normal” range.

The Digital Rectal Exam The digital rectal exam should be performed along with the PSA test. A physician inserts a gloved finger into the patient's rectum to feel the area of the prostate where most prostate cancers occur. The doctor checks for hardness of the prostate or for irregular shapes or bumps. These may indicate the presence of prostate cancer.

The digital rectal exam, or DRE, can be particularly helpful because the PSA test may miss up to one quarter of developing prostate cancers, and the DRE may catch some of these.

Besides these two screening procedures, your doctor may also want to use these other screening possibilities

• Ultrasound scan, using a small probe which is inserted into the back passage. The scan reveals the exact size of the prostate.
• Biopsy involves taking a tiny sample of tissue from the prostate using a small needle.
• X-rays can show whether there is any cancer which has spread to the bones near the prostate.

Prostate cancer risk factors

A variety of causes and risk factors can lead to prostate cancer and the resulting groin pain it causes.. The major known risk factors for prostate cancer are age, race and family history. The chance of having prostate cancer increases rapidly after age 50. More than 70% of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65.

Diet and other environmental factors may play a role as well. A recent study shows that the risk of dying from prostate cancer increases with body weight.

See Related topics on prostate cancer as a cause of groin pain, prostate cancer surgery and groin pain and avoiding groin pain through prostate cancer prevention.