Actor Dennis Hopper’s prostate cancer diagnosis came too late; here’s how to spot the disease

Dennis Hopper was a Hollywood heavyweight who featured in more than 100 films over five decades. The actor was prone to excessive drinking, drug-taking and had five marriages, one of which lasted only eight days. He was also sent to a psychiatric ward in 1984 after experiencing hallucinations.

But in the end, it was prostate cancer due to which he died at the age of 74. His cancer hadn’t been detected until it had become fatal. A year before his death in 2010, Hopper was seen by doctors for his flu-like symptoms. Unfortunately, his prostate cancer was not diagnosed until after it had metastasized (spread to other parts of the body).

The prostate is a small walnut-shaped gland in males that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. Prostate cancer begins when cells in the prostate develop changes in their DNA. The accumulating abnormal cells form a tumor that can grow to invade nearby tissue. With time, some abnormal cells can break away and metastasize.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, besides skin cancer. As per research, it is estimated that one man out of every 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, and one man out of every 35 will die from it. Prostate cancer can be hard to detect as there are no visible symptoms of the condition until it has grown. Here are some signs that may indicate prostate cancer. It is advised to get tested if you experience any symptoms.

Experiencing difficulties with urination can be a symptom of prostate cancer. These include decreased force in the stream of urine, need to strain to empty the bladder, weak or interrupted urine flow. Some people may experience frequent urination such as urinating frequently at night. Pain or burning during urination and blood in the urine may also be symptoms of prostate cancer.

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Blood in semen is a condition called hematospermia, or hemospermia. Hematospermia may indicate prostate cancer or another urologic disease, though it can have causes that aren't due to any underlying disease. A Northwestern University study of 26,126 men who underwent prostate cancer screening found that 6.5% were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Among those who complained of hematospermia, 13.7% were diagnosed with prostate cancer.

In the earlier stages of prostate cancer, pain can occur during ejaculation due to the blockage caused by cancer growth in the prostate. The tumor adds pressure to the nearby organs and tissues, causing the pain. In more advanced cases, the pain may spread to the pelvis, lower back, ribs, thighs or in the bones in that region.

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Prostate cancer frequently can cause erectile dysfunction. A prostate cancer diagnosis by itself reduces sexual desire and the frequency of sexual intercourse. Hormonal therapy to block testosterone and radical prostatectomy further increase the frequency of erectile dysfunction. According to John Hopkins Medicine, nearly all men will experience some erectile dysfunction for the first few months after prostate cancer treatment.