Every man should know the major risk factors for prostate cancer even though it isn’t always clear why a particular man has developed the disease. It may depend on the man’s lifestyle choices, genetics, and family history.
Exposure to any of these factors can boost men’s risk of prostate cancer. However, having one or two risks doesn’t mean that your doomed to get cancer. Plus, there are men with no risk factors at all and still having the disease.
The major risk factors for prostate cancer are:
- Aging – the top reason why men develop the disease. Even though no one can revert his age, older men should be aware that they have a higher risk of prostate cancer and get screened on a regular basis. After age 50, the risk of prostate cancer grows rapidly. What’s more, 60 percent of prostate cancer cases involve men aged 65 or older.
- African ancestry is another risk factor for prostate cancer. Black men have higher rates of this cancer than other ethnic groups. In addition, black men are two times more likely of being killed by the disease than white men.
- Location – the most cases of prostate cancer are found in North America, western Europe, Caribbean Islands, and Australia.
- Family history – if a man had a father or brother who was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he has a two-fold risk of developing the disease. In addition, if many of the man’s relatives had the condition, that man’s risk skyrockets especially if the relatives had been diagnosed at a young age.
- Gene mutations – men who inherited certain gene mutations are at a higher risk. These mutations usually lead to ovarian and breast cancer risk in women. Lynch syndrome is also a major risk factor because of the many inherited gene changes.
- Food – high-fat dairy and red meat boost the risk of prostate cancer especially when men don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables.
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