Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffFactors that can increase your risk of prostate cancer include:
- Older age. The risk of prostate cancer increases with age. Prostate cancer is most common in men older than 65.
- Being black. Black men have a greater risk of prostate cancer than do men of other races. In black men, prostate cancer is also more likely to be aggressive or advanced. It's not clear why this is.
- Family history of prostate or breast cancer. If men in your family have had prostate cancer, your risk may be increased. Also, if you have a family history of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation or a very strong history of women with breast cancer, your risk for prostate cancer may be higher.
- Obesity. Obese men diagnosed with prostate cancer may be more likely to have advanced disease that's more difficult to treat.
References
- Prostate cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostatecancer/detailedguide/index. Accessed May 30, 2013.
- 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.
- Prostate cancer screening. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/basic_info/screening.htm. Accessed March 4, 2013.
- Moyer VA. Screening for prostate cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
Recommendation Statement. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2012;157:120. - Hoffman RM. Screening for prostate cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed May 30, 2013.
- Prostate cancer. Urology Care Foundation. http://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=146. Accessed June 2, 2013.
- Advanced prostate cancer. Urology Care Foundation. http://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=149. Accessed June 2, 2013.
- Mohler J, et al. Prostate cancer — Clinical practice guidelines in oncology. The Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. 2010;8:162.
- Crawford ED. Chemoprevention strategies in prostate cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed June 2, 2013.
- Moynihan TJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 9, 2013.
- Castle EP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ. June 17, 2013.
Find Mayo Clinic on