Treatment of Prostate Cancer at Cancer Treatment Centers of America

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Prostate Cancer Risk Factors

Are you at risk for prostate cancer? According to the American Cancer Society about one in six men will be diagnosed with cancer in his lifetime.*  Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among American men. So the biggest risk factor is simply being male. Any man over the age of 40 should be screened on a regular basis, as early prostate cancer may show no symptoms. It should also be noted that prostate cancer occurs regularly even in men who do not seem to be at high risk.

However there are certain prostate cancer risk factors.

AGE: Prostate cancer before the age of 40 is extremely rare. The older you are, the higher your risk. Two out of three cases is diagnosed after the age of 65.

RACE: African-American males are at the highest risk, while Asians and Hispanics are at a lower risk than Caucasian Americans.

NATIONALITY: Certain countries are at a higher risk including North America, northwestern Europe, Australia and the Caribbean islands.

FAMILY HISTORY: Genetics do matter. If you have a family history of prostate cancer, especially if your father or brother was effected, you are at a very high risk.

Having a vasectomy and infections of the prostate are not indicated as risk factors. Smoking, obesity, diet and prostatitis may cause an increased risk factor, but studies are still inconclusive.

Surprisingly, exercise has not been shown to reduce the chance of prostate cancer, although there are plenty of other positive health benefits from exercise that still make it a worth while discipline.

If several prostate cancer risk factors apply to you, and you are over the age of 40, the Cancer Treatment Centers of America offer sophisticated diagnostic testing. One of the key factors in prostate cancer treatment is early detection. If you have avoided screening because of discomfort with doctors, you should know our prostate cancer centers have a policy of patient empowered medicine. That means at all times you are treated with dignity and respect, informed of all your options and allowed to take an active role in any decision making that takes place.

Don’t live another day in uncertainty. Get the information you need to make an informed choice. Call one of our Oncology Information Specialists today. 

*All statistics are taken from the American Cancer Society website www.cancer.org.