The month of September has been designated Prostate Cancer month and it is important to raise awareness of this disease. Prostate Cancer is the most common type of cancer found in American men. According to the American Cancer Society, there will be approximately two hundred thousand new cases of Prostate Cancer in the United States in 2003. About twenty eight thousand men will die from this disease. It should be noted that men of any age can get Prostate Cancer, but it is most common in men over the age of fifty. Prostate Cancer is about twice as common in North America, Europe, and North Western Europe, however it is less common in Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America.
Scientists do not know exactly what causes prostate cancer. One explanation is based on genes, the basic unit of heredity: this can result in a higher risk of getting Prostate Cancer, but these genetic changes appear to be linked to only about ten percent of Prostate Cancers. What is known, however, is that certain risk factors are linked to Prostate Cancer. When one's is set to have a risk factor for a disease, it simply means that by having this factor, their chances of getting the disease is increased. Some risk factors can be controlled while others are out of our control. For example, we can control our diet but our age and race cannot be changed. Here are some factors that can increase the chance of getting this disease: .
Age: The chance of getting Prostate Cancer goes up with age.
Race: For unknown reasons, Prostate Cancer is more common among African American men than among white men. .
Diet: A diet high in fat might play a part in causing Prostate Cancer.
Family: Men with close family members who have had Prostate Cancer for example, a father or a brother, are more likely to get Prostate Cancer themselves.
Because the exact cause of Prostate Cancer is not known, scientists cannot say if it is possible to prevent most cases of the disease.