Medical history (history of illness) represents an important component in the diagnosis of prostate cancer (prostate cancer). Family history
- Are there frequent tumor cases in your family?
- Did your brother or/and father have prostate cancer?
Social history
- What is your occupation? Do you work shift/night duty?
- Are you exposed to harmful working substances in your profession?
Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).
In the age group of prostate cancer patients, the prevalence (disease frequency) of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), mostly due to benign enlargement of the transitional zone of the prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia), is very high. Prostate carcinoma is rarely responsible for LUTS. Nevertheless, 10% of patients who have undergone transurethral resection of the prostate (surgical removal of the prostate through the urethra) are found to have incisional prostate carcinoma (prostate carcinoma found incidentally in the tissue sample). Therefore, all patients presenting with LUTS should undergo urologic evaluation for prostate carcinoma
Complaints usually do not occur until the stage of prostate cancer is already advanced. This is because at the beginning of the disease, usually only the outer area of the prostate is affected.Only when the tumor spreads further inside the prostate and constricts the urethra, do symptoms occur:
- Bladder voiding dysfunction:
- Weakened urinary stream?
- Delayed start?
- Residual urine formation?
- Ischuria (urinary retention)?
- Irritative symptoms
- Pollakiuria – urge to urinate frequently without increased urination?
- Imperative urination – uncontrollable urge to urinate?
- Dysuria – difficult (painful) urination?
- Symptoms of local tumor infiltration
- Erectile dysfunction (ED/erectile dysfunction)?
- Hematuria (blood in the urine)?
- Incontinence (inability to hold and pass urine in a controlled manner)?
- Hematospermia – blood in the semen (sperm fluid)?
- Constipation (constipation)?
- Pain in the bowel area or above the pubic bone?
- Low back pain and back pain?
- Tumor metastases (daughter tumors of the tumor)/lymph node metastases.
- Anemia (anemia of the blood)?
- Urinary stasis kidney with flank pain (lymph nodes obstructing the ureters)?
- Bone pain due to bone metastases; preferentially to the lower spine and lesser pelvis?
- Low back pain/lumbago (cardinal symptom of metastatic prostate cancer)?
- Metastases (daughter tumors) in the vertebral bodies (can lead to compression of the spinal canal with neurological deficits due to tumor invasion of the spinal canal or fracture of the vertebral body)?
- Pathological fractures (synonym: spontaneous fracture)?
- Lymphedema (proliferation of tissue fluid caused by damage to the lymphatic system) of the lower extremity?
Vegetative anamnesis including nutritional anamnesis.
- Are you overweight? Please tell us your body weight (in kg) and height (in cm).
- Do you have a balanced diet?
- Do you tend to eat a high-fat diet?
- Do you pay attention to a high-fiber diet?
- Do you eat fruits and vegetables every day?
Self anamnesis incl. medication anamnesis
- Pre-existing conditions (diseases of the genitourinary tract).
- Operations
- Allergies
- Medication history
Environmental history
- Arsenic
- Occupational handling of rubber, heavy metals (e.g. cadmium).
- There is evidence that 51Cr, 59Fe, 60Co and 65Zn exposure can also trigger prostate cancer
- Occupations: welder, battery manufacturer
- Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)Note: Polychlorinated biphenyls belong to the endocrine disruptors (synonym: xenohormones), which even in the smallest amounts can damage health by altering the hormonal system.
