| Although the causes of prostate cancer are not well understood
at this time, research studies have identified several
risk factors for prostate cancer which include:
Prostate cancer occurs more frequently in older men. Although
prostate cancer has been discovered in men as early as
in their 40’s, it is most commonly diagnosed in
men over the age of 65. In fact, more than 75% of men
diagnosed with prostate cancer each year are over the
age of 65.
Research suggests that prostate cancer may be more common
in certain ethnic populations. For instance, studies
have shown that prostate cancer is more common in men
of African ancestry as compared to Caucasian men, while
Asian and Aboriginal populations seem to have the lowest
rates of prostate cancer.
Research studies have consistently shown an increased risk
of developing prostate cancer in son’s and brother’s
of men diagnosed with prostate cancer. In fact, for men
with one close relative (for example, a brother or father)
with prostate cancer, their risk to develop this condition
is about twice that of a man with no family history of
prostate cancer. This risk may be further increased,
if more than one family member has been diagnosed with
prostate cancer, or if prostate cancer was diagnosed
at a young age (for example, less than 60 years of age).Since each family is different, a genetic assessment of
your family is necessary to determine your personal chance
to develop prostate cancer. In addition, a genetic assessment
can also determine whether your family may have a hereditary
(inherited) type of prostate cancer or other hereditary
cancer condition that is passed from generation to generation.
For further information on hereditary prostate cancer or
arranging a referral for a genetic assessment, please visit
the hereditary
risk factors section of our site. |
Research has suggested that diet may act as a risk factor for the development
of prostate cancer. Support for this association comes from research on Asian
immigrant populations, in which within one generation an over three-fold
increase in the number of these men diagnosed with prostate cancer was observed.
This increase in the frequency of prostate cancer was primarily attributed
to changes in diet upon immigration to North America.
In addition, a number of other studies investigating an
association between diet and the risk to develop prostate
cancer have shown that a high fat diet may increase a man’s
risk of developing prostate cancer. Alternatively, diets
that are rich in certain fruits and vegetables may be protective
or decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer. Some
general dietary recommendations to consider include:
- Decreasing dietary fat intake
- Increasing vegetable and fruit consumption…especially
tomatoes, tomato sauce or tomato juice, and pink
grapefruit, papaya, and watermelon
- Increasing dietary fibre intake
- Increasing soy protein
consumption… for example,
tofu, tempeh, and soymilk
For further information about the role of dietary choices
and dietary supplements in prostate cancer prevention, please
see the nutrition section and check out our booklet entitled, Eating
Right for Life, or download it here.
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