Who Is Most at Risk For Developing Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the second most common kind of cancer in the United States among men, with skin cancer being the first, and it is one of the leading cancers responsible for deaths in the United States, second only to lung cancer. Prostate cancer is a dangerous thing, especially if left untreated, and it is pretty discriminating when it comes to who is targeted.Risk factors are things which might raise your chance of developing prostate cancer. Now, even if you have 10 out of 10 risk factors, it doesn’t mean that you will absolutely get prostate cancer, but research has been done that shows that the possibility of you developing it will be greater than if you didn’t have the risk factors. Although the entire dynamics of prostate cancer are not yet completely understood, researchers and scientists have found that there are several factors which might increase a person’s risk for developing the disease. Here are the most common ones.
-Age – The risk of developing Prostate cancer rises as a man ages. Although there are some cases of this disease present among men under the age of 40, most cases are found in an older age group. In fact, two thirds of Prostate cancer cases are in men over the age of 55. This is why screenings are so important, especially beginning around the age of 40 or 45.
-Race – Although researchers and scientists have no idea why, it has been determined that Prostate cancer actually affects African American men more than Caucasian men. The first are more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease as well. Interestingly, Asian and Hispanic men are at a decreased risk of developing Prostate cancer.
-Family Health History – Studies show that Prostate cancer may be inherited or genetic in some people. A man’s risk of developing Prostate cancer is more than doubled if he has a brother or a father who has had the disease. This is a scary number, so doctors recommend that those with a family history of Prostate cancer begin screenings early, even around the age of 35. The earliest treatment of Prostate cancer is the best.
-Where You Live – Prostate cancer is more prominent in places like North America, Europe, Australia, and the Caribbean Islands. While places like Asia, South America, Africa and Central America see less cases of Prostate cancer. Again, scientists aren’t sure why the risk is different for the different countries, but it’s interesting to note that an Asian man living in the United States will have a higher risk of developing the disease than an Asian man living in Asia.
If you have any of these risk factors for Prostate cancer, it’s important that you get screened and have regular check-ups. The key to staying healthy and living a long and happy life is to do what you can to prevent prostate cancer. Keeping up with your screenings and doctor’s visits will ensure that if something is found, you can receive early treatment, which just may save your life.
