1-in-8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their life. Knowing the risk factors can help you know your likelihood of developing the cancer as you reach the highest-risk age range of 65+.
The prostate is below the bladder and in front of the rectum in males and makes some of the fluid in semen. As a man ages, the prostate will grow. However, if the prostate begins to grow uncontrollably, prostate cancer may form.
In most cases, prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas, which means these cancers develop from the gland cells in the prostate.
Though rare, other types of cancers that could be found in the prostate include:
- Small cell carcinoma
- Other neuroendocrine tumors
- Transitional cell carcinoma
- Sarcomas
The Risk Factors
All men are at risk for developing prostate cancer; 1-in-8 men will get diagnosed with prostate cancer. Like other cancers, there are certain risk factors that could increase your likelihood of developing prostate cancer. However, just because you have a risk factor, does not mean you will develop cancer. Risk factors include:
Age
Age is the most influential risk factor with prostate cancer due to the prostate growing as a man ages.
Most men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer are age 65 or older. It is rare, but possible, for men who are under age 40 to develop prostate cancer. The risk of developing prostate cancer begins to rise quickly as you near age 50.
Race/Ethnicity
Prostate cancer tends to develop more often in younger African American and Caribbean men than other races. On the other hand, prostate cancer develops less often in Asian American, Hispanic, and Latino men than non-Hispanic white men.
Family History
Prostate cancer cannot be genetically inherited, however there are genes and variants of genes (BRCA1 or BRCA2) linked to an increased risk of prostate, breast, ovarian, and other cancers.
In most cases, the risk of developing prostate cancer more than doubles in men who have family relations, such as a father or brother, who have had prostate cancer. The risk increases more based on the number of relatives a man has who have been affected by prostate cancer, especially if the relatives were young when they were diagnosed.
If you don’t have a family history of prostate cancer, you may still be at risk of developing the cancer. Especially if you have family members who have had breast, ovarian, or pancreatic cancer.
Cancer Screenings
In the United States, prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among men. Like other cancers, preventative screenings can help find the cancer before symptoms start. When cancer is found at an early, pre-symptom stage, it can be easier to treat.
Tests used to screen for prostate cancer include:
Digital Rectal Exam (DRE)
Digital rectal exam (DRE) is an exam of the rectum. During this exam, your doctor or nurse will insert a lubricated, gloved finger into the lower part of the rectum to feel the prostate for lumps, enlargement, or anything that seems unusual.
Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test
A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is a test that measures the level of PSA in the blood.
PSA is a substance made by the prostate that can be found in increased amounts in the blood when a man has prostate cancer. The level of PSA can also be high in men who have an infection, inflammation, or a benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as an enlarged, but noncancerous, prostate.
Prostate Cancer Gene 3 (PCA3) RNA Test
The PCA3 RNA test measures the amount of PCA3 RNA in the urine after a DRE. A PCA3 RNA test may be used for certain patients if they had a high PSA level, a biopsy of the prostate did not show cancer, and the PSA level is still high after the biopsy.
Decisions about screening tests can be difficult. You will want to talk to your primary care provider or urologist about any screening tests and concerns you have prior to your screening.
Sources: Dr. Yemi Akin-Olugbade, American Cancer Society, cancer.gov, cdc.gov
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