Photo: Thirdman

What age does prostate cancer affect the most?

Age. Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 40, but the chance of having prostate cancer rises rapidly after age 50. About 6 in 10 cases of prostate cancer are found in men older than 65.

cancer.org - Prostate Cancer Risk Factors

Should men drink turmeric?

Amongst other suggested health benefits put forwards by studies, turmeric for men has shown to increase blood flow that is suggested, in turn, to...

Last updated Dec 25, 2018

How much rest is needed after a prostate biopsy?

Your doctor will likely recommend that you do only light activities for 24 to 48 hours after your prostate biopsy. Your doctor might recommend...

Last updated Apr 27, 2021

Promotion

Prostate Cancer Risk Factors

A risk factor is anything that raises your risk of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. Some risk factors, like smoking, can be changed. Others, like a person’s age or family history, can’t be changed. But having a risk factor, or even several, does not mean that you will get the disease. Many people with one or more risk factors never get cancer, while others who get cancer may have had few or no known risk factors. Researchers have found several factors that might affect a man’s risk of getting prostate cancer.

Age

Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 40, but the chance of having prostate cancer rises rapidly after age 50. About 6 in 10 cases of prostate cancer are found in men older than 65.

Race/ethnicity

Prostate cancer develops more often in African American men and in Caribbean men of African ancestry than in men of other races. And when it does develop in these men, they tend to be younger. Prostate cancer occurs less often in Asian American and Hispanic/Latino men than in non-Hispanic whites. The reasons for these racial and ethnic differences are not clear.

Geography

Prostate cancer is most common in North America, northwestern Europe, Australia, and on Caribbean islands. It is less common in Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America. The reasons for this are not clear. More intensive screening for prostate cancer in some developed countries probably accounts for at least part of this difference, but other factors such as lifestyle differences (diet, etc.) are likely to be important as well. For example, Asian Americans have a lower risk of prostate cancer than white Americans, but their risk is higher than that of men of similar ethnic backgrounds living in Asia.

Family history

Prostate cancer seems to run in some families, which suggests that in some cases there may be an inherited or genetic factor. Still, most prostate cancers occur in men without a family history of it. Having a father or brother with prostate cancer more than doubles a man’s risk of developing this disease. (The risk is higher for men who have a brother with the disease than for those who have a father with it.) The risk is much higher for men with several affected relatives, particularly if their relatives were young when the cancer was found.

Gene changes

Why are old men so strong?

Reports of increases in the production of adrenaline-related hormones with ageing have been thought to explain the apparent ability of older men to...

Last updated Jan 22, 2019

What happens if you wear a ring during an MRI?

Loose metal objects can injure you during an MRI when they're pulled toward the very powerful MRI magnet. This means all jewelry has to come off,...

Last updated Oct 31, 2022

Promotion

Several inherited gene changes (mutations) seem to raise prostate cancer risk, but they probably account for only a small percentage of cases overall. For example: Inherited mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes , which are linked to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers in some families, can also increase prostate cancer risk in men (especially mutations in BRCA2). , which are linked to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers in some families, can also increase prostate cancer risk in men (especially mutations in BRCA2). Men with Lynch syndrome (also known as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, or HNPCC), a condition caused by inherited gene changes, have an increased risk for a number of cancers, including prostate cancer.

Other inherited gene changes can also raise a man’s risk of prostate cancer. For more on some of these gene changes, see What Causes Prostate Cancer?

Factors with less clear effects on prostate cancer risk

Diet

The exact role of diet in prostate cancer is not clear, but several factors have been studied. Men who eat a lot of dairy products appear to have a slightly higher chance of getting prostate cancer. Some studies have suggested that men who consume a lot of calcium (through food or supplements) may have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. But most studies have not found such a link with the levels of calcium found in the average diet, and it’s important to note that calcium is known to have other important health benefits.

Obesity

Being obese (very overweight) does not seem to increase the overall risk of getting prostate cancer. Some studies have found that obese men have a lower risk of getting a low-grade (slower growing) form of the disease, but a higher risk of getting more aggressive (faster growing) prostate cancer. The reasons for this are not clear. Some studies have also found that obese men may be at greater risk for having more advanced prostate cancer and of dying from prostate cancer, but not all studies have found this.

Smoking

Do you fail a drug test if you can't pee?

If you fail to provide a sufficient amount of urine when directed, and it has been determined, through a required medical evaluation, that there...

Last updated Jan 14, 2021

Can cancer be cured if spread to bones?

There's no cure for bone metastases. But treatments can help: prevent or slow the progression of the cancer. strengthen bones. Mar 9, 2021

Last updated Jul 29, 2022

Promotion

Most studies have not found a link between smoking and getting prostate cancer. Some research has linked smoking to a possible small increased risk of dying from prostate cancer, but this finding needs to be confirmed by other studies.

Chemical exposures

There is some evidence that firefighters can be exposed to chemicals that may increase their risk of prostate cancer. A few studies have suggested a possible link between exposure to Agent Orange, a chemical used widely during the Vietnam War, and the risk of prostate cancer, although not all studies have found such a link. The National Academy of Medicine considers there to be “limited/suggestive evidence” of a link between Agent Orange exposure and prostate cancer. To learn more, see Agent Orange and Cancer.

Inflammation of the prostate

Some studies have suggested that prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland) may be linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer, but other studies have not found such a link. Inflammation is often seen in samples of prostate tissue that also contain cancer. The link between the two is not yet clear, and this is an active area of research.

Sexually transmitted infections

Researchers have looked to see if sexually transmitted infections (like gonorrhea or chlamydia) might increase the risk of prostate cancer, because they can lead to inflammation of the prostate. So far, studies have not agreed, and no firm conclusions have been reached.

Vasectomy

Some studies have suggested that men who have had a vasectomy (minor surgery to make men infertile) have a slightly increased risk for prostate cancer, but other studies have not found this. Research on this possible link is still under way.

cancer.org - Prostate Cancer Risk Factors

Can you get hard if you have your prostate removed?

Erectile dysfunction following radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer is a known potential complication of the surgery....

Last updated Jul 7, 2020

Do pumpkin seeds burn fat?

Pumpkin seeds are rich in nutrients known to support weight loss, such as fiber, protein, and unsaturated fatty acids. Jun 12, 2020

Last updated Oct 21, 2019

Promotion

What is the prostate survival rate?

The 5-year survival rate for people with prostate cancer in the United States is 98%. The 10-year survival rate is also 98%. Approximately 84% of...

Last updated Jun 13, 2018

Promotion

Does apple cider vinegar unblock arteries?

Although we're not sure where this claim originated from, we do know there is no scientific evidence proving apple cider vinegar clears clogged...

Last updated Nov 28, 2021