Hello, Steve:

Sorry to hear you're going through all this, and, like Leonard and Steve,
I'd not put prostate cancer (PCa) at the top of the list of suspected
causes, based on what you wrote.

But why was the doc looking at your urine and doing a digital rectal exam
(DRE)?  Did you go to him/her with other symptoms?  

All the best,

charlie

If your doctor noticed something peculiar when probing your prostate, it
is certainly possible that you have prostate cancer.   I don't think
blood in the urine is usually a symptom of prostate cancer, and their
are amny other possible causes.   I hope your doctor has done a PSA
test.   This tests the presence of s substance in the blood which goes
up when prostate cancer is present, but it can also go up for several
other reason.

I would guess that you probably just have an inflamed prostate, but
since the risk of prostate cancer is significant,  your doctor will
probably want to refer yout o a urologist and have a biopsy done.  A
prostate biopsy , if done correctly, is not terribly painful and is
safe.  If prostate cancer is present, a biopsy will most likely find it.

As things stand now, it is more likely than not that you don't have
prostate cancer, but if you do, it is probably at an early stage where
it can be cured.  Treatment involves the possibility of side effects,
but if done properly by an experienced doctor, those risks are fairly
low for a man your age.

If you want to find out more about prostate cancer, try reading the book
by Patrick Walsh or that by Peter Scardino.

I had visible blood in urine about the same age (43) and it was caused by
kidney stones. Although if this was the case you would likely have periods
of severe pain.

My uncle was diagnosed with prostate cancer over 20 years ago by
following up on occult (not visible to the eye) blood in his urine.
So while there are many causes of blood in the urine, prostate cancer
is a possibility though probably a small one.  By the way, my uncle
was treated with radiation and was apparently free of cancer when he
died about fifteen years later from a massive heart attack.
Dave Perry

As others have said, at your age, prostate cancer is less likely
than other causes that are less dangerous.

I think one possible cause is calcium deposits in the prostate.
These are a common cause of prostatitis - inflammation of the
prostate.  I believe that sharp edges in the "stones" formed by
the calcium might sometimes cause very small amounts of
bleeding.

Even a few drops of blood in the urine will give it a red tint.  So
what might look quite alarming may not actually be serious at
all.

Best of luck with it.

   Alan

I would say your doc's examination, as described, was somewhat incomplete.
Did he do a digital rectal exam (finger up the rectum)?  Did he draw blood
for a PSA?

There are many problems that can cause blood in the urine and if that is his
only evidence, he was, IMHO, way out of line suggesting prostate cancer.  It
might even be silly to focus on the prostate at this point.

If it is the prostate, you can get a book written by Dr. Patrick Waslsh
which focuses on all problems with the prostate.  I cannot recall the name
and I've curently loaned out my copy.  I'm not talking about his "Guide to
Surviving Prostate Cancer" -- you're not there yet.

I can also provide you a modicum of relief, even if it is anecdotal.  Of
almost 800 men I've seen come to this newsgroup in the last 6 or so years,
only 13 were 42 years old or less.  If your father did not have prostate
cancer before he was 50, you have very little chance of having it at 42.