Thompson Cancer Survival Center
Prostate Cancer

Risk Factors

  • Age
    The risk of getting prostate cancer gets higher as men age.
    • Under age 40 = 1 in 10,000 risk of prostate cancer
    • Age 40 to age 59 = 1 in 39 risk of prostate cancer
    • Age 60 to age 69 = 1 in 14 risk of prostate cancer

  • Race
    African American men are 61% more likely to get prostate cancer than Caucasians. Oriental men are less likely to get prostate cancer than Caucasians, but this difference is reduced among groups that adopt an "American" diet high in red meat and fat.

  • Genetics
    Men with a father, brother or son who got prostate cancer are twice as likely to get the disease as men with no first-degree relative who has or had the disease.

  • Diet and Lifestyle
    Obesity is thought - but not conclusively proven - to increase the risk of prostate cancer.

  • Dietary Risks
    Some foods and vitamin supplements are thought - but not conclusively proven - to increase the risk of prostate cancer. They include:

    • Red meat and high fat are thought to double the risk of prostate cancer.
    • High doses of calcium -2000 mg per day or more - are thought to increase prostate cancer risks by 5 times.
    • High levels of zinc - 80 mg per day or more - are thought to double prostate cancer risk.

  • Dietary Risk Reduction
    Some foods and vitamin supplements are thought - but not conclusively proven - to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. They include:

    • Three weekly servings of fish high in Omega 3 fatty acid (such as salmon) are thought to lower prostate cancer risk by about a quarter.
    • Two or more servings a week of tomato sauce or other cooked tomato products are thought to lower prostate cancer risk by about a third.
    • Five or more servings a week of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and bok choy are thought to lower the future risk of prostate cancer by 20%. The benefit has been observed eight years after starting to eat five weekly portions of these vegetables.
    • The 1, 25 (OH)2 D3 form or vitamin D is thought to reduce prostate cancer risk by almost half.