Prostate Cancer

What are the risk factors for prostate cancer?

The exact causes of prostate cancer are still unknown and are being studied through research. Some of the risk factors that are known to increase the risk of developing prostate cancer are:

• Age − This is the strongest risk factor. Men above the age of 50 are at risk and the risk increases with age.
• Ethnicity − In Singapore, Chinese men have double the risk of getting prostate cancer compared to Malay or Indian men.
• Family history – Men with a father or brother with prostate cancer are more likely to get the disease. The risk is higher for men who have a brother with prostate cancer than for those with an affected father. Risk is also much higher for men with several affected family members, especially if they were young when the prostate cancer was detected.
• Diet − Men who consume large amounts of fat, particularly from red meat and other sources of animal fat, including dairy products.