Causes of prostate cancer

In the UK about 1 in 12 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer, but in the USA it is 1 in 6 men. The number of men being diagnosed with cancer of the prostate gland has been increasing in recent years. It is thought that this may be due to the fact that there are more older men in the population and that more men are having tests which can detect prostate cancer.

Although the causes of cancer of the prostate are unknown, there are some factors that are known to increase a man’s chance of developing the disease. Researchers are trying to find out more about the causes of prostate cancer.

Men who have close relatives (a father, uncle or brother) who have, or have had, cancer of the prostate are slightly more likely to develop it.

If several women in the family have had breast cancer (especially if they were diagnosed at less than 40 years of age) this could indicate that an inherited faulty gene is present in the family. The gene may increase the risk of the men in that family getting prostate cancer.

Some ethnic groups have a higher chance of developing prostate cancer than others; for example, African-Caribbean or African-American men are more likely to have this type of cancer. Asian men have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

A diet high in animal fat (including dairy products) and low in fresh fruit and vegetables may increase your risk of prostate cancer. A high intake of calcium (such as from dairy foods) may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Tomatoes and tomato products (such as ketchup) may help to protect against prostate cancer. Tomatoes contain a substance called lycopene. Lycopene can lower blood levels of a substance called IGF-1. IGF-1 is a protein that may stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells. There is also some evidence that taking selenium supplements in the diet may help to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.