Who is at risk for prostate cancer?
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American Cancer Society answered:While we do not yet know exactly what causes prostate cancer, we do know that certain risk factors are linked to the disease. The chance of getting prostate cancer goes up as a man gets older. Most prostate cancers are found in men over the age of 65. For reasons that are still unknown, African American men are more likely than white men to develop prostate cancer. Having one or more close relatives with prostate cancer also increases a man’s risk of having prostate cancer.
While we do not yet know exactly what causes prostate cancer, we do know that certain risk factors are linked to the disease. The chance of getting prostate cancer goes up as a man gets older. Most prostate cancers are found in men over the age of... More -
Dr. David Samadi of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:Age is one of the most important risk factors for prostate cancer. Men over 50 years old have been shown to be at greater risk and approximately two thirds of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65.
Race also plays a role in prostate cancer risk, as African American men are more likely to get diagnosed than their white counterparts. Furthermore, African American men are more likely to present with advanced disease when diagnosed. For this reason, the urological community generally recommends PSA screening for African American men beginning at the age of 40.
Family history is also an important factor. A brother or a father with the disease can significantly increase one’s lifetime risk of prostate cancer, and this risk increases further when multiple family members are affected. Specific genes that may be responsible for prostate cancer are currently being studied, although no genetic test is widely available at this point.
High dietary fat is also suspected to increase the overall risk of prostate cancer, although the research is unclear as to the exact role it may play.
The important take-home message is that men at increased risk for prostate cancer, whether due to age, race or family history, should have a discussion about their risk profile with their primary care physician. Furthermore, men should be vigilant about getting PSA testing on a regular basis. Even if diagnosed, prostate cancer is not a death sentence. New advancements in medical technology, such as robotic prostatectomy, have made prostate cancer an entirely treatable disease if caught early. Using my SMART (Samadi Modified Advanced Robotic Technique) surgery coupled with an incredible OR team, we have been able to achieve excellent sexual and urinary outcomes with low rates of biochemical recurrence.
Helpful? 1 person found this helpfulAge is one of the most important risk factors for prostate cancer. Men over 50 years old have been shown to be at greater risk and approximately two thirds of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65. Race also plays a role in... More -
Riverside Cancer Care Center answered:An important risk factor is age; more than 70 percent of men diagnosed with this disease are over the age of 65. African American men have a substantially higher risk of prostate cancer than white men, including Hispanic men. In addition, dramatic differences in the incidence of prostate cancer are seen in different populations around the world.
Genetic factors appear to play a role in prostate cancer development, particularly among families in which the diagnosis is made in men under age 60.
This answer is based on source information from the U.S National Institutes of Health.
An important risk factor is age; more than 70 percent of men diagnosed with this disease are over the age of 65. African American men have a substantially higher risk of prostate cancer than white men, including Hispanic men. In addition, dramatic... More
