Early identification is critical in providing men with a fighting chance against prostate cancer. All men are at risk for prostate cancer, but many variables might raise your chances of being detected.
Your Prostate Cancer Risk
Age, family history, ethnicity, and nutrition are the most important risk factors for getting prostate cancer.
Do any of the following apply to you?
- I have a family history of prostate cancer
- I am Black or African-American
If you responded yes to any of these questions, you might be at a greater risk of developing prostate cancer.
However, the absence of any of these risk factors does not imply immunity. All men are at risk of developing prostate cancer.
Continue reading to find out more about your risk and what measures you may take.
RELATED: 8 Ways You Can Prevent Prostate Cancer
Age
Prostate cancer risk increases considerably as men age.
Men in their 40s should begin discussing prostate cancer risk and testing options with their physicians, and even earlier if they have other risk factors.
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Most males with prostate cancer are over 50, and a sizable proportion is over 65. However, aggressive prostate cancer has occurred in men in their twenties.
History of Prostate Cancer in the Family
Some men have a hereditary susceptibility to prostate cancer.
A male with at least one close relative who has had the illness has double the chance of developing the condition as the general population.
Certain genes and gene mutations have been found that increase a man's chance of acquiring prostate cancer (BRCA 1, BRCA 2, DNA mismatch repair genes, and others).
It is believed that hereditary gene alterations cause 10% of all prostate tumors. The prevalence of prostate cancer in distant relatives on both sides of a 20-year-old man's family may help predict whether he will acquire the illness.
Race
Black males are 1.7 times more likely than white men to have the illness and 2.1 times more likely to die from it. Prostate cancer is 73% more common in non-Hispanic Black men than non-Hispanic white men.
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Chemical Exposure and Veterans
Chemical and defoliant exposure may increase the incidence and severity of prostate cancer. Veterans are about twice as likely as guys who have never served in the military to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Farmers and other young men who deal with huge quantities of pesticides are at an elevated risk, as are those who are regularly exposed to metal cadmium, such as welders, battery producers, and rubber workers.
There is evidence that firemen are likewise more vulnerable.
Additional Risk Factors
Obesity may be linked to a modest increase in prostate cancer risk.
Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, according to the World Health Organization.
Obesity has been linked to prostate cancer aggressiveness in many studies.
One study indicated that obesity might be more strongly associated with prostate cancer risk in Black males than in white men.
Compared to men of normal weight at the time of diagnosis, the chance of dying from prostate cancer is more than doubled in obese men.
Obese men with prostate cancer are also almost four times more likely to have their cancer spread beyond the prostate.
Fortunately, regular physical activity and exercise have a good influence on health and prostate cancer. Men who walk the equivalent of one to three hours per week had an 86% decreased chance of aggressive prostate cancer.
Is it Possible to Avoid Prostate Cancer?
Although no one knows how to avoid prostate cancer, a healthy lifestyle may be beneficial, especially in your 20s.
Being overweight may raise your chances of being diagnosed with aggressive (prone to spread) or advanced prostate cancer (cancer that has spread outside the prostate).
Establishing nutritive eating habits in your 20s and being active may help you maintain a healthy weight and prevent prostate cancer further down the road.
