This painful symptom could be a sign of one of the most deadly types of cancer in the UK
Health experts have warned that back pain “that doesn’t go away with rest” could signal cancer. According to Cancer Research UK, it is one symptom of prostate cancer to look out for.
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men in the UK, accounting for around 52,300 new cases every year. It is also one of the most deadly forms of the disease, causing the second-highest amount of cancer deaths among men in the UK.
Therefore, if you notice any of the signs it is important to get them checked as soon as possible. However, symptoms don’t always appear in the early stages of prostate cancer, making it difficult to get a diagnosis.
In fact, many men can live with the disease for years without realising. This is because symptoms don’t typically show until the cancer starts pressing on the urethra.
Cancer Research UK explains: “Most prostate cancers start in the outer part of the prostate gland. This means that to cause symptoms, the cancer needs to be big enough to press on the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis. This is called urethra.”
If the cancer does start pressing on the urethra you might experience:
- An increased need to urinate
- Straining while you urinate
- A feeling that your bladder has not fully emptied
But other patients will only experience signs of prostate cancer once it has spread to other parts of the body. This includes pain in the back or bones “that doesn’t go away” even with rest.
The charity continues: “If prostate cancer has already spread to other parts of the body (advanced or metastatic prostate cancer), it can cause symptoms such as back or bone pain that doesn’t go away with rest.” It might also cause tiredness and unexplained weight loss.
The most common place for prostate cancer to spread is the bones, leading to bone pain. “It is usually there most of the time and can wake you up at night. The pain can be a dull ache or stabbing pain,” Cancer Research UK says.
Your bones might also become weaker and more likely to break. The charity adds: “When prostate cancer spreads to the spine, it can put pressure on the spinal cord and cause spinal cord compression.
“This stops the nerves from being able to work properly. Back pain is usually the first symptom of spinal cord compression.
“Spinal cord compression is an emergency. You should contact your treatment team immediately if you are worried you might have spinal cord compression.”
If you notice any potential symptoms of prostate cancer you should speak to your GP.
Find out about the symptoms you need to watch out for and get health advice with our free health newsletter from the Mirror
Getting tested
As this disease often doesn’t cause symptoms, men over the age of 50 are encouraged to undergo a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which can help detect early prostate cancer.
If you are over 50, you can ask a GP for a PSA test. However, PSA tests are not 100 percent reliable and an MRI scan is also needed to detect prostate cancer.
