Unfortunately, many men in America share common risk factors for prostate cancer. Out of 100 American men, 13 will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime. The older a man becomes, the more his risk increases. Let’s dig deeper and discover the common causes and risk factors of prostate cancer.
What Are Your Risk Factors?
Anything that increases your chance of getting prostate cancer is known as a risk factor. However, having one or more risk factors does not necessarily mean you will be affected by this form of cancer. At the same time, you can get the disease and have no risk factors. The benefit of knowing the risk factors for prostate cancer is that they can be used as warning signals that you should not overlook.
Your Age
Younger men rarely get prostate cancer. The majority of cases affect men over the age of 65. The incidence of prostate cancer is 1 in 10,000 for men under 40. For men between 40 and 59, the ratio rises to 1 in 38, and over the age of 69 it rises even further to 1 in 14.
The obvious conclusion is that as men age, they are more likely to develop prostate cancer. Men should see Southland Urology to be checked by age 65 or sooner.
Your Family History
If a close member of your family like a father, brother, or son had/has prostate cancer, your risk increases.
Your Ethnicity
It has been determined that African American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than caucasian men. This particular demographic is also more likely to get it at an earlier age, and tend to have a higher amount of advanced cases when discovered. Lastly, African American men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than caucasian men.
Asian Americans and Latinos have less incidence of this cancer.
Your Location
It is true that researchers have discovered the following:
- Most cases of prostate cancer occur in North America, the Caribbean, Australia, and northwestern Europe.
- You are more likely to develop prostate cancer if you live north of 40° latitude, possibly due to lack of sunlight and consequently, a lack of Vitamin D.
- Asian American men have a low incidence, but Asians living in Asia are more at risk for prostate cancer.
- There are less cases in central and South America, Asia, and Africa.
Your DNA
Some men have defective or damaged genes that are more likely to cause cancer cell development. These mutated genes can be inherited or be what is known as acquired mutations. Some mutated genes turn off the tumor suppressor genes, leading them to suffer from fast-growing tumors that may be cancerous.
Your Diet
It is believed that a diet high in red meat and high-fat dairy is a risk factor for prostate cancer. In addition, people who eat such a diet do not usually eat sufficient amounts of vegetables and fruits that contain vital cancer-fighting nutrients.
Other Possible Risk Factors or Causes
Studies have been conducted about other potential types of risk factors for prostate cancer, but the results have been unclear. Obesity, smoking, chemical exposure from the environment, and sexually transmitted infections have not conclusively been attributed as a risk for prostate cancer.
It is difficult to prove the exact cause of prostate cancer. Researchers usually point to the risk factors mentioned above as the most likely sources, but some patients may never be able to identify the true cause of their cancer. However, that does not mean that they cannot appropriately treat prostate cancer with the help of specialized physicians from Southland Urology.
Early Detection
A small number of cancers are labeled as aggressive. Getting an early diagnosis of prostate cancer provides the best outlook for patients afflicted with this condition. Even if the diagnosis is made at a late stage, with treatment a patient can reduce or eliminate symptoms, slow down the growth of the tumor, and have a longer lifespan.
If you have any of the risk factors of prostate cancer, talk to Southland Urology about getting screened.
As always, if you have any further questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call (714) 870-5970 or request an appointment online today!