Funding research and education to beat prostate disease
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. 37,000 cases are diagnosed each year. Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in men, with 10,000 deaths every year in the UK.
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer develops as a result of a series of faults occurring in the genes that control cell growth in the prostate. These faults can be inherited or develop as a result of damage to the DNA. Damage to the DNA may be caused by dietary components, cancer-inducing chemicals or radiation.
Normally, cells divide only when the body needs them to, and the process is strictly controlled. When this genetic control breaks down and the cells begin dividing in an unregulated manner, a mass of excess cells forms (a tumour).
Prostate cancer risk factors
The lifetime risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer is 1 in 14 for men in the UK. Your chance of getting prostate cancer depends on your personal risk factors.
- Increased age
This is the strongest risk factor. As you age, your risk of developing prostate cancer increases. Prostate cancer is rare in men under 40. 60% of cases are in men over 70. - Family history of prostate cancer
If you have a family history of prostate cancer you are twice as likely to develop it. If a close relative developed prostate cancer before he was 60 then you are four times more likely to develop it than those who do not have it in their family. - Ethnicity
The highest rates of prostate cancer in the world are recorded in men of African descent. The lowest rates found are in Asian men. The reason for these differences is still unclear. It is thought to be due to both genetic and environmental factors. - Family history of breast cancer
The genes linked to a higher risk of breast cancer are also thought to be associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Men whose families are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer also have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. - Diet
As with other cancers, a diet high in saturated fat and red meat and low in fruit and vegetables is thought to lead to a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
