Prostate Cancer Risk Factors

Many factors can increase your chance of having prostate cancer. If you find yourself in one of these categories below, it does not mean you will have prostate cancer, but your chances of developing it is higher compared to others:  

• Age - prostate cancer mainly affects men over 50 years; the average age at diagnosis is 70 years.  
• Race - men of African descent are more at risk of becoming a victim of prostate cancer than Caucasians.  
• Family history - if your father has suffered from prostate cancer, your risk is higher; therefore, if you have a history of prostate cancer in your family, adopt a healthy lifestyle and diet to reduce the risk.  
• High testosterone levels - it is believed that high testosterone levels may play a role in development of prostate cancer; however, this theory is not proven. The reason that some scientists come up with the theory is because it is shown that men who use testosterone therapy are more likely to develop prostate cancer.  
• Diet - a large majority of prostate cancer cases may be related to dietary factors. Many researchers have shown that a diet rich in unhealthy fats may be associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Animal fat content in red meat have been stigmatized in many epidemiological studies. In addition, dairy products also seem to slightly increase the risk of prostate cancer. 
• Other factors - other suspected but not fully proven factors may include:

a)    obesity 

b)    smoking 

c)    vasectomy 

d)    lack of exercise 

e)    benign prostatichyperplasia (BPH)  

f)    Sexually Transmitted Diseases.  

Prostate Cancer Causes                               Prostate Cancer Symptoms