What are the major risk factors associated with prostate cancer?
What early warning signs can men look for? The three major risk factors associated with the development of prostate cancer are age, family history, and race. The biggest risk factor is a man’s age. Nearly 80% of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are over the age of 65. The risk of developing prostate cancer begins to increase at age 50 in white men who have no family history of prostate cancer and at age 40 in those with a first-degree relative (father, brother) with prostate cancer. Nearly one out of eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. Although most prostate cancer patients have no family history of the disease, men with one afflicted first degree relative have double the risk of developing this disease. If a second family member had prostate cancer, the risk is two to five times higher. The risk is the same whether the affected relative came from the mother’s or father’s side of the family. Race also plays a major role in prostate cancer risk. African-A
