What Causes Prostate Cancer?

Up to present, scientists have not found yet causes of prostate cancer. They do study intensively the molecular mechanisms of development and progression of this disease. There was found a gene responsible for family cancer cases, or, in other words, particular genetic predisposition for prostate cancer. There were proved theories that in human genome do exist several areas responsible for inhibition of prostate cancer development and their change results in appearing of this disease.

Some growth factors and biologically active substances have an impact on the disease development including formation of metastasis.

Precancerous changes come before prostate cancer. It is considered they may occur as a result of lasting inflammatory processes having corresponding genetic predisposition.

Risk factors for prostate cancer development:
1) Age is major risk factor. The more older male is, more higher risk factor of cancer development is.
2) Race. Males of black race get diseased with prostate cancer more often than others. The disease in them is found at late stages.
3) Heredity. Relatives of people diseased with prostate cancer in younger age have more chances to get this disease.
4) Food. Cancer occurs more often in men who consume a lot of fats.
5) Smoking and unhealthy work. Cadmium which was found in tobacco smoke and also in accumulators and welding materials contribute to cancer development.

It was considered before that vasectomy (male sterilization operation) prevents from prostate cancer development, however, this was not confirmed.

Detection of prostate cancer causes aggravates the fact that in about 30% of cases prostate cancer is not showing itself and is just accidental finding in dissection of people died from other causes.

Are You At Risk For Prostate Cancer?

Scientists still do not know what is the cause of prostate cancer, but are well known risk factors. The role of each factor is not clear till the end, because the results of the numerous researches are contradictory.

Age. The probability to disease with prostate cancer increases after age of 50 in males. Most of registered cases (80%) are men over 65 years.

Race. Black men have two times higher risk to disease with prostate cancer than white men.

Ethnic background. People from Northern countries suffer from prostate cancer more often. In Africa, Asia, Central and South America this disease meets rarely.

Diet. Consumption of greasy food and deficiency of vegetables and fruits in menu increase possibility to disease with prostate cancer. Diet rich with lycopin (these are natural red dyes contained in vegetables and fruits) and selenium lower the risk to disease.

Physical Activity. Keeping normal weight and regular physical exercises reduce risk of developing of the disease.

Heredity. Causes of prostate cancer can be genetic. Risk doubles if you have in your family farther or brother with prostate cancer. The risk increases if several relatives were diagnosed with it, especially when they were young. Nowadays scientists study the way gene called HPC1 can be disposed to the disease. Probably, in near future would appear analysis helping to find out risk level connected with heredity factor.

Vasectomy (surgical sterilization), perhaps, also increases the risk of prostate cancer. But the research information in that field is so contradictory.