Prostate Cancer Awareness
An aging problem

Risk Factors and Prevention

Age: Risk for prostate cancer increases with age. More than 65% of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65. Men who are considered high-risk, have increasing diagnosis rates beginning at the age of 40.
Race: African American men are 61% more likely to develop prostate cancer compared with Caucasian men and are nearly 2.5 times as likely to die from the disease.
Genetic History: Men with a single first-degree relative (such as a father, brother or son) with a history of prostate cancer are twice as likely to develop the disease. While those with two or more relatives are nearly four times as likely to be diagnosed. The risk is even higher if the affected family members were diagnosed at a young age, with the highest risk seen in men whose family members were diagnosed before age 60.
Diet and Lifestyle: Recent studies have shown that diet modification might decrease the chances of developing prostate cancer, reduce the likelihood of having a prostate cancer recurrence, or help slow the progression of the disease.

Early Detection and Screening
Screening for prostate cancer can be performed quickly and easily in a physician’s office using two tests: the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test, and the digital rectal exam (DRE).

All men over 40 should speak with their doctors at the time of their annual physicals and develop a proactive prostate health plan that is right for them based on their lifestyles and family history.

Sources: Prostate Cancer Foundation; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Cancer Institute; American Cancer Society