Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : September 20, 2018 2:54 PM IST
Having a risk factor doesn’t necessarily mean that you will suffer from cancer. © Shutterstock
September is prostate cancer awareness month. It is an apt time to learn more about this cancer and protect men from falling prey to its wrath. This is a reason why we should talk more about the risk factors of this cancer. A risk factor is something that can considerably increase your chances of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. But keep in mind that having a risk factor doesn t necessarily mean that you will suffer from cancer. The irony is that many people with one or more risk factors never get cancer, while others who get cancer may have had few or no known risk factors.
However, experts believe that there are certain risk factors that can make a man susceptible to prostate cancer with time; here are a few of them:
Age: Prostate cancer rarely happens in men who are younger or below 40 years of age. But the chances of having cancer after the age of 50 increase exponentially. With age there, certain changes happen in the prostate gland. It increases in size which leads to enlargement of prostate glands. An enlarged prostate is not a sign of cancer but at times cancerous cells can divide rapidly as the gland increases and lead to cancer. For men over 65, this risk is significantly greater.
Race and ethnicity: For reasons unknown prostate cancer occurs more often in African-American men and in Caribbean men of African ancestry than in men of other races. African-American men are also more than twice as likely to die of prostate cancer as white men. However, the numbers are also increasing in India with every passing year. Since we all feel that prostate cancer is common in western men there is lack of awareness among Indian men about prostate cancer screening. But experts believe that going for a basic PSA test after 50 years of age annually can help Indian men detect cancers early and get them treated before it metastasises.
Geography: Just like ethnicity is a risk factor even geography plays a role in increasing one s chance of developing prostate cancer. It is seen that the cancer is more common in North America, northwestern Europe, Australia, and on Caribbean islands. It is less common in Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America. The reason for this is not clear. But experts believe that since the numbers of prostate cancer cases are increasing globally, it is necessary for men all over the globe to be particular with screening practices.
Family history: Prostate cancer seems to run in some families, which suggests that in some cases there may be an inherited or genetic factor. However, most prostate cancers occur in men without a family history of it. Having a father or brother with prostate cancer more than doubles a man s risk of developing this disease. The risk is higher for men who have a brother with the disease than for those who have a father with it.
Genetics: Genes do play a role in increasing one s risk of developing prostate cancer. However, genetics account for a small percentage. Inherited mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes raise the risk of breast and ovarian cancers in some families. Mutations in these genes (especially in BRCA2) may also increase prostate cancer risk in some men. Men with Lynch syndrome (also known as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, or HNPCC) also have an increased risk for a number of cancers, including prostate cancer.
