Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting 1 in 6 men. But who is most at risk of getting prostate cancer and why? There are several major factors that influence risk, some of them unfortunately cannot be changed.
- Age – The older you are, the more likely you are to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Although only 1 in 10,000 men under age 40 will be diagnosed, the rate shoots up to 1 in 38 for ages 40 to 59, and 1 in 15 for ages 60 to 69.
- Race - African American men are 60% more likely to develop prostate cancer compared with Caucasian men and are nearly 2.5 times as likely to die from the disease. Conversely, Asian men who live in Asia have the lowest risk.
- Family history/genetics – A man with a father or brother who developed prostate cancer is twice as likely to develop the disease. This risk is further increased if the cancer was diagnosed in family members at a younger age (less than 55 years of age) or if it affected three or more family members.
- Where you live - For men in the U.S., the risk of developing prostate cancer is 17%. For men who live in rural China, it’s 2%. However, when Chinese men move to the western culture, their risk increases substantially.
More information about RISK FACTORS can be found on the Prostate Cancer Foundation website including risk factors in aggressive versus slow-growing cancers, other factors, risk and other prostate conditions, myths, and non-risks.
7 BASICS ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER
- THE PROSTATE
- RISK FACTORS
- PREVENTION & SYMPTOMS
- EARLY DETECTION & SCREENING
- UNDERSTANDING A DIAGNOSIS
- TREATMENT OPTIONS
- LIVING WITH ADVANCED DISEASE
The information above has been supplied by the Prostate Cancer Foundation. For more information about prostate cancer, or to find out more about the Prostate Cancer Foundation, visit www.pcf.org.