Getting a prostate cancer screening early and regularly is very important. Prostate cancer is relatively common for men. Fortunately, at Arkansas Urology, we know that prostate cancer if caught early is very treatable. You are good to be proactive and ask questions about your risk factors. Several different factors contribute to this cancer and when it occurs. Risk factors for prostate cancer differ from risk factors of most types of cancers. So who is most likely to develop prostate cancer?
Age is the greatest risk factor. The older you are, the more likely you are to develop prostate cancer. About 80 percent of men who reach age 80 will have some prostate cancer cells in their prostate. About 6 in 10 cases of prostate cancer are in men 65 and older. It’s rare in men younger than 40. In the U.S., the average age of a man just diagnosed with prostate cancer is 66 years old.
African American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men. The cancer is also more likely to be advanced when it is diagnosed. Hispanic men have a lower risk of prostate cancer than white men.
Family history also plays a large role in whether or not you develop prostate cancer and when it occurs. If your father or brother had prostate cancer, your risk is doubled. Actually having a brother with prostate cancer seems to increase your risk more than your father. Multiple family members and the age of their diagnoses also affect your risk. Also, if you have a family history of genes that increase the risk of breast cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2), it can increase your risk for prostate cancer.
Smoking, diet and obesity have been shown to be factors for aggressive prostate cancer but they aren’t necessarily a factor for low-risk prostate cancer.
Screening for prostate cancer should start earlier if you have risk factors present. At Arkansas Urology, our team of physicians can help you know your risk factors and when to be screened. Give us a call today at 1-800-255-1762.
