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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration of prostate gland Prostate gland
Illustration of prostate cancer Prostate cancer

Living With Cancer

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It's not clear what causes prostate cancer. Doctors know that prostate cancer begins when some cells in your prostate become abnormal. Mutations in the abnormal cells' DNA cause the cells to grow and divide more rapidly than normal cells do. The abnormal cells continue living, when other cells would die.

The accumulating abnormal cells form a tumor that can grow to invade nearby tissue. Some abnormal cells can break off and spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.

Risk factors Symptoms
References
  1. Prostate cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostatecancer/detailedguide/index. Accessed May 30, 2013.
  2. Ilic D, et al. Screening for prostate cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004720.pub3/abstract. Accessed March 4, 2013.
  3. Prostate cancer screening. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/basic_info/screening.htm. Accessed March 4, 2013.
  4. Moyer VA. Screening for prostate cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
    Recommendation Statement. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2012;157:120.
  5. Hoffman RM. Screening for prostate cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed May 30, 2013.
  6. Prostate cancer. Urology Care Foundation. http://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=146. Accessed June 2, 2013.
  7. Advanced prostate cancer. Urology Care Foundation. http://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=149. Accessed June 2, 2013.
  8. Mohler J, et al. Prostate cancer — Clinical practice guidelines in oncology. The Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. 2010;8:162.
  9. Crawford ED. Chemoprevention strategies in prostate cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed June 2, 2013.
  10. Moynihan TJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 9, 2013.
  11. Castle EP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ. June 17, 2013.
DS00043 Aug. 13, 2013

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