Prostate Cancer - What Causes It?

Like many cancers, no one knows for sure what causes prostate cancer, but there are risk factors that point to certain things that can be done to prevent it. That being said, some risk factors that increase the likelihood of being diagnosed with prostate cancer cannot be avoided (like age) while others (such as exercise) are within a person’s control.

Prostate cancer is a slow-growing cancer that forms in the prostate – a gland that is only found in men. The chance that a man will get prostrate cancer in his lifetime increases dramatically as he gets older. In prostate cancer patients, 67% of men are over the age of 65. Another factor that is uncontrollable is race; African American men are more likely to get prostate cancer than Caucasian or Asian males.

Nationality and family history are two additional risk factors that play a part in prostate cancer. Men that live in North America have the highest risk of getting prostate cancer as opposed to South America, Asia or Africa. If a man has had a close relative diagnosed with prostate cancer he should be monitored for cancer himself on an ongoing basis.

Regardless of the risk factors that are not in your control. By taking control of your diet and exercise routine you can lower your risk of getting prostate cancer. Men should include a healthy variety of foods in their diet with special attention paid to high-fiber fruits and vegetables. It is recommended that men should consume 5 servings every day of this food group. In addition, they should limit their intake of red meat and high-fat dairy. These two foods have shown up quite frequently as a mainstay in the diet of prostate cancer patients. And most men over the age of 65 with a routine exercise program had lower instances of being diagnosed with prostate cancer.