Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men after skin cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths after lung cancer. But what are the odds that you’ll develop the disease? They could be much higher than you think.
We’ve put together a list of risks using information from Prostate Cancer UK and the National Cancer Institute.
Read 10 tips to reduce your risk of developing cancer.
How many men get cancer?
One in eight men in the U.K. and one in seven men in the U.S. will develop prostate cancer. However, if you’re a black man you have an even higher chance of developing the disease at one in four.
Is there an average age?
It’s rare for men under the age of 50 to develop prostate cancer, but it does happen. The average age of diagnosis is 66. The older a man gets, the higher his risk is of developing the disease. Doctors usually advise yearly PSA checks after the age of 50, or 45 if you’re black or there’s a family history of cancer.
Do genetics play a role?
Family history can play a part in increasing your chances of developing prostate cancer. If a close male relative (father, uncle, brother) has had the disease, you are two and half times more likely to develop prostate cancer. In addition, if close female family members have had breast cancer—particularly if it was due to BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes then this may also increase your risk.
Does weight matter?
Research has found that having a healthy body weight reduces your chances of getting prostate cancer and that being obese increases the risk of the disease. Prostate cancer patients who are overweight or obese are also more likely to suffer from more aggressive, faster spreading forms of the disease.
Find out about the pathology of prostate cancer with this informative video.
Prostate Cancer News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
“One in eight men in the U.K. and one in seven men in the U.S. will develop prostate cancer.”
No. Most men over 50 have prostate cancer. The above is the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer can be cured with a early diagnosis. The main cause of late stage cancer is still due the American and Canadian Task Force that still recommend aginst screening . They still continue with the argument that men are over treated when the diagnosis of cancer is there . Had my husband Dave been given screening for Prostate cancer he may have been here today . If cancer on either side genitically runs in your family know your psa #. Get screened …stage 2 is fixable stage 4 out side the prostate what Dave had was a death sentence