Prostate cancer is caused by changes in the DNA of a prostate cancer cell. DNA makes up our genes, which control how cells behave. DNA is inherited from our parents. A small percentage (about 5% to 10%) of prostate cancers is linked to these inherited changes. Prostate cancer may also be linked to higher levels of certain hormones. High levels of male hormones (androgens) may play a part in prostate cancer risk in some men. Some researchers have noted that men with high levels of a hormone called IGF-1 are more likely to get prostate cancer, too. But others have not found such a link. More research is needed in this area.

While we do not yet know exactly what causes prostate cancer, we do know that certain risk factors are linked to the disease. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of getting a disease. Different cancers have different risk factors. Some risk factors, such as smoking, can be controlled. Others, like a person's age or family history, can't be changed.

But risk factors don't tell us everything. Many people with one or more risk factors never get cancer, while others with this disease may have had no known risk factors. For some of these factors, the link to prostate cancer risk is not yet clear.

Risk factors for prostate cancer

Age: Age is the strongest risk factor for prostate cancer. The chance of getting prostate cancer goes up quickly after a man reaches age 50. Almost 2 out of every 3 prostate cancers are found in men over the age of 65.

Race: For unknown reasons, prostate cancer is more common in African-American men than in men of other races. African-American men are also more likely to have a more advanced disease when it is found and are more likely to die of the disease. Prostate cancer occurs less often in Asian-American and Hispanic/Latino men than in non-Hispanic whites. The reasons for these racial and ethnic differences are not clear.

Nationality: Prostate cancer is most common in North America, northwestern Europe, and a few other places. It is less common in Asia, Africa, Central and South America. The reasons for this are not clear. More testing in some developed countries likely accounts for at least part of this difference, but other factors are likely to be important, too.

Family history: Prostate cancer seems to run in some families. Men with close family members (father or brother) who have had prostate cancer are more likely to get it themselves, especially if their relatives were young when they got the disease.

Genes: Scientists have found some inherited genes that seem to raise prostate cancer risk, but they probably account for only a small number of cases overall. Genetic testing for most of these genes is not yet available, and more study is needed in this area.

Diet: The exact role of diet in prostate cancer is not clear, but some factors have been studied. Men who eat a lot of red meat or high-fat dairy products seem to have a greater chance of getting prostate cancer. These men also tend to eat fewer fruits and vegetables. Doctors are not sure which of these factors causes the risk to go up.

Obesity: Most studies have not found that being obese (having a high amount of extra body fat) is linked with a higher risk of getting prostate cancer. Some, but not all, studies have found that obese men may be at greater risk for having more advanced prostate cancer and of dying from prostate cancer.

Exercise: Exercise has not been shown to reduce prostate cancer risk in most studies. But some studies have found that high levels of physical activity, particularly in older men, may lower the risk of advanced prostate cancer. More research in this area is needed.

Infection and inflammation of the prostate: Some studies have suggested that prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland) may be linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer, but other studies have not found such a link. Some researchers have also looked at whether sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) might increase the risk of prostate cancer. So far, studies have not agreed, and no clear links have been made.

Last Medical Review: 08/21/2009
Last Revised: 08/21/2009