| A variety of other lifestyle and medical factors have
also been investigated as potential risk factors or risk
markers for developing prostate cancer. A few of these
are described below:
PIN is a type
of pre-cancerous cell growth that in some cases can develop
into prostate cancer. PIN can be divided into two categories,
low and high grade. High grade PIN may represent an intermediate
stage between a benign growth and malignancy. Men diagnosed
with PIN on prostate biopsy may be at an increased risk
of developing prostate cancer in the future. For this reason,
these men should be followed closely for the development
of prostate cancer.
The PSA test is a blood test that is used as a screening
tool for prostate cancer. Having an elevated PSA level
may serve as a risk marker for prostate cancer. To learn
more about this test, go to the PSA test link on the
Diagnosing Cancer page of this website.
BPH is an abnormal growth of benign (non-cancerous) prostate
cells. BPH causes the prostate to enlarge and is a common
condition in men as they get older. At the present time,
BPH is not thought to cause cancer or lead to an increased
risk to develop prostate cancer. For further information
on this topic, please refer to the link entitled BPH,
under the Prostate section.
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Conclusions regarding increased risk of developing prostate cancer due to smoking
have been conflicting. More research is still needed to better understand
if there is an association between smoking and someone’s risk to develop
prostate cancer.
Similar to smoking, conclusions about increased prostate cancer risk due to
alcohol usage have been inconclusive.
No occupation has been directly linked to developing prostate cancer.Overall, these findings suggest that both genetic and environmental
factors may play an important role in the development of
prostate cancer, and are helpful in identifying men who may
be at increased risk to develop prostate cancer.If you are concerned about how some of these risk factors
may influence your chance to develop prostate cancer, discuss
these concerns with your family doctor. You may also want
to discuss with them your options for surveillance for prostate
cancer and when this should be started.
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