Every form of cancer has a range of different factors that increase an individual’s chance of developing a particular disease.
A male with one or more risk factors for prostate cancer may not develop the disease; it does however increase the risk.
Risk factors for prostate cancer can include:
- Being over the age of 50
- Having a family history of the disease
- Having a family history of breast or ovarian cancer
- A diet high in fats and low in fresh fruit and vegetables
- High testosterone levels
- Obesity
Many people have at least 1 risk factor but will never develop cancer, while others with cancer may have had no known risk factors. Even if a person with cancer has a risk factor, it is usually hard to know how much that risk factor contributed to the development of their disease.