After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in America with almost 14% men developing it each year. The number of American men suffering from prostate cancer is about 3 million. It is estimated that about 29,000 men will lose their lives because of prostate cancer in 2014 and about 233,000 new cases of prostate cancer will emerge. On average prostate cancer claims a life every 18 minutes and every 2.3 minutes a man is diagnosed with it. Although it is a life-threatening disease, death from it is not that common. Finding out prostate cancer causes and accepting early treatment can give your great relief.

Prostate Cancer Causes

Prostate cancer causes are still unknown. However, doctors do know that it begins when abnormal cells formulate within the prostate. These abnormal cells divide quicker, grow faster and live longer than normal cells. Once they are sufficient in number, the abnormal cells form a tumor and begin attacking the tissues present nearby. 

Risk Factors of Prostate Cancer

Although prostate cancer causes are unknown, there are many risk factors that make men tend to have this disease. All men are vulnerable to prostate cancer. Every 80% 80 year old men have prostate cancer. In addition to this, family history, race and age can also increase the risk of prostate cancer in men.

1. Age

Age is by far the most prominent risk factors of prostate cancer. Black men older than 40 who have a family history of prostate cancer have a higher chance of developing this disease. On the other hand white men over the age of 50 with no family history of this cancer are more likely to be diagnosed with it. Almost 70% of the men diagnosed with prostate cancer are in their late 60s. The aggressiveness of the disease goes down with age.

2. Family History

You are at more risk of developing prostate cancer, if any member of your family has this disease. The risk becomes even more significant, if the affected member is your father or brother. If you brother has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, then there is a high chance that you would develop it, too. The more members of your family are affected by this disease, the more are the chance that you would get it. 10% of all prostate cancer cases result from hereditary factors.

3. Ethnicity

African American men are most likely to develop prostate cancer. The chances of them suffering from this disease are 60% higher than white American men. However, the risk of prostate cancer reduces significantly if the African men stay in their native lands. It is only when they move to America that the chances of having prostate cancer increase in them. This is the reason why screening for prostate cancer for African-American men must begin when they reach the age of 40 years.

4. Genetic Mutation

Genetic mutation is another factor that can enhance the risk of prostate cancer in men. There are various inherited gene changes that can make a person more vulnerable to prostate cancer. For instance mutations in BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene may cause prostate cancer. However, genetic testing for these gene mutations is not possible at the moment. Luckily, the cases of prostate cancer caused by inherited gene mutation are not a lot.

5. Diet

It is not yet known how much impact diet can have on a person’s risk of developing prostate cancer. However, consumption of high-fat dairy products and red meat is considered to increase the risk of prostate cancer in men. People who eat less vegetables and fruits are more susceptible to prostate cancer as well. Overuse of calcium supplements has also been linked with increased risk of prostate cancer. However, no reliable evidence of it has been found yet.

6. Sexually Transmitted Infection

Sexually Transmitted infections are also among the factors that can increase the possibility of a person developing prostate cancer. The reason for this is that these infections cause inflammation of the prostate which can lead to prostate cancer. Studies have shown that people who have suffered from sexually transmitted infections are 1.4 times more likely to get this type of cancer than others.

7. Other Risk Factors of Prostate Cancer

• Obesity is one of the major factors for developing prostate cancer. Obese people are considered to be at a higher risk of developing aggressive form of prostate cancer.
• Smoking can increase the death rate of people diagnosed with this type of cancer. Firefighters who have been exposed to toxic substances also have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
• Vasectomy has also been linked with a higher possibility of prostate cancer as well.

Watch the following video to know what role hormones plays in causing prostate cancer:

How to Prevent Prostate Cancer

Prevention of prostate cancer is not that easy because prostate cancer causes are unknown and the risk factors of this disease are mostly unavoidable. However, making certain lifestyle changes can help you in decreasing your chances of developing prostate cancer.

1. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables that contain vitamins and minerals instead of high-fat foods is a possible way of reducing your risks of developing prostate cancer. Eating raw tomatoes and avoiding supplements has also been linked with a significant decrease in the risk of prostate cancer development.

2. Do Exercise Regularly

Doing regular exercise can keep you fit and healthy. People who exercise on a daily basis have a lesser chance of developing prostate cancer than those who do not exercise at all. Moreover, regular exercise can help you in maintaining a healthy weight which is also going to get you away from prostate cancer.

3. Consult a Doctor

People who are at high risk of developing prostate cancer should consult a doctor and make use of certain medications that will reduce their chances of getting this type of cancer. Drugs like Propecia and Avodart have been known to stop prostate enlargement and can lower the risk of prostate cancer.