Causes of prostate cancer
Cancer is a disease where cells in a person's body mutate and start to multiply. Many times these mutated cells multiply quickly and get out of control. When these cancerous cells begin and grow in the prostate gland in a male's body it is prostate cancer. Though this cancer begins in the prostate, it can spread to other parts of the man's body making him sicker and sicker.
The causes of prostate cancer
The causes of many cancers are unknown and unfortunately the causes of prostate cancer are also unknown. Because there are no known causes it can make preventing prostate cancer very difficult for men. But even though the causes of prostate cancer are not known, there are some risk factors that can make a man more susceptible to this type of cancer.
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Risk factors
One of the biggest risk factors for prostate cancer is a man's age. If a man is over the age of 50 he has a higher chance to develop prostate cancer. Getting older affects all parts of the body and the prostate is no exception. Cells continuously regenerate throughout a person's life, and it isn't too surprising for cells to mutate as a person gets older.
Family history
Another risk factor that increases a person's risk for developing prostate cancer is a family history of the disease. If a man's father, grandfather, brother, or uncle has had or does have prostate cancer, the man has a higher risk of developing prostate cancer himself. It is very important for a person to know their family medical history so that they will be able to watch out for specific diseases in their own body if they have an increased risk for the disease.
Even though it does not seem like a possible risk factor, if many women in a man's family (such as their mom, sister, aunt, or grandmother) have had breast cancer, it can increase the man's risk for developing prostate cancer. It is possible that the man has inherited a type of faulty gene that will make his risk of getting prostate cancer higher.
Race
Just as with many other cancers, race is also a risk factor when it comes to prostate cancer. Doctors and researchers are not sure why, but if a man is African-American or African-Caribbean, he has an increased risk of developing prostate cancer compared to other races of men.
High fat diet
Having a diet that is high in fat can lead to many diseases such as heart disease and obesity, and it can also lead to prostate cancer. If a man eats a high fat diet he is more likely to develop prostate cancer compared to someone who eats a diet low in fat.
Overweight
Being overweight can also cause a number of diseases, or at least put someone at a higher risk for developing many diseases. If a man is obese he is also increasing his risk for prostate cancer among other diseases.
If a man has more than one of these risk factors for a higher chance of developing prostate cancer, it can put his chances of developing the disease even higher. Usually men who are overweight also have a high fat diet, and if this man is over 50 years old and has a family history of prostate cancer, or a few women in his family have had breast cancer, he just might develop prostate cancer.
What to do
Since the causes of prostate cancer are unknown, it is essential that a man take a good look at his lifestyle. Sure he can't change his family history, age, or race, but he can change his diet and he can lose any extra weight that he has on his body. Getting regular cancer screenings, living a healthy lifestyle, and paying attention to his own body may be the man's only protection against prostate cancer.
