Health Tip: Identifying Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer
(HealthDay News) -- Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 40, but as a man reaches 50, his chances of getting the disease increase.
About 6 in 10 prostate cancers are found in men older than 65, the American Cancer Society says.
The ACS mentions these risk factors for prostate cancer:
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Age.
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Ethnicity: Prostate cancer occurs more often in black men and Caribbean men of African ancestry than in men of other races.
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Location: Prostate cancer is most common in North America, northwestern Europe, Australia, and on Caribbean islands. It's less common in Asia, Africa, Central America and South America.
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Family history: Since prostate cancer tends to run in families, there probably is a genetic link.
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Diet: Men who eat a lot of red meat or high-fat dairy products and fewer fruits and vegetables seem to be at greater risk of developing prostate cancer.
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Chemical exposure: Studies have shown that some chemicals are associated with prostate cancer.