What Causes Prostate Cancer?

Lindsay Curtis
·6 min read

Medically reviewed by Marla Anderson, MD

The exact cause of prostate cancer is not fully understood. A combination of risk factors—including age, geographical location, and family history—are known to increase prostate cancer risk. Researchers are exploring possible links between prostate cancer development and exposure to certain chemicals, body weight, and diet.

Prostate cancer develops when healthy cells in the prostate mutate (change) and begin to grow and divide uncontrollably, forming a mass called a tumor. The prostate is a small gland that helps produce semen. This gland is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum.

Getty Images Credit: John Fedele Prostatitis.
Getty Images Credit: John Fedele Prostatitis.

Related: What Causes Breast Cancer? Risk Factors To Know

Known Risk Factors

Cancer occurs when gene mutations in cellular DNA cause cells to grow and divide in an uncontrolled way. These abnormal cells lump together to form tumors that can invade nearby tissue. Cancer cells can break away from the original tumor and spread (metastasize) to other areas of the body.

Prostate cancer begins in the prostate, or a walnut-sized gland that's part of the male reproductive system. Researchers don't know exactly what causes prostate cancer. Certain risk factors are associated with an increased risk of the disease.

Age

The risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age. Healthcare providers rarely diagnose prostate cancer in people younger than 40. The chance of having prostate cancer rises after the age of 50. About 60% of all prostate cancers are diagnosed after the age of 65.

Geographical Location

Certain parts of the world have a higher incidence of prostate cancer than others. Prostate cancer is most common in North and Western Europe, Australia, North America, the Caribbean islands, and South Africa.

Multiple factors likely play a role in the increased rates of prostate cancer in these countries. These factors include differences in access to screening tests, diet, and other lifestyle factors.

Family History

People with a family history of prostate cancer have an increased risk of developing the disease. Your prostate cancer risk is about two to three times higher if you have a first-degree relative (e.g., parent, sibling, child) who has or has had prostate cancer.

Possible Risk Factors

Researchers are exploring the possible connection between certain factors that may play a role in the development of prostate cancer. Diet, body weight, exposure to certain chemicals, and prostatitis may impact your prostate cancer risk.

Diet

Several studies have investigated the possible link between dietary habits and prostate cancer risk. Some evidence suggests that eating a diet high in saturated fats, red meats, processed foods, and dairy may increase the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. The research is unclear, but eating a plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables may lower the risk of the disease.

Body Weight

Studies investigating the link between body weight and the risk of prostate cancer have been inconclusive. Obesity does not seem to be a direct cause of prostate cancer. Some evidence suggests people with obesity may be at an increased risk of developing more aggressive forms of the disease. Obesity is also associated with an increased risk of dying from prostate cancer.

Chemical Exposures

Exposure to certain types of chemicals may increase prostate cancer risk. Firefighters, for example, are regularly exposed to carcinogens like combustion chemicals created by fires. Carcinogens are substances known to cause cancer. The protective equipment firefighters wear also contains suspected carcinogens. Farmers exposed to pesticides and fertilizers also have a greater risk of developing prostate cancer.

Prostatitis

Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate. The condition can be acute (temporary) or chronic (long-lasting). Research has found a link between chronic prostatitis and an increased risk of prostate cancer. Researchers theorize that chronic inflammation associated with prostatitis may play a role in the development of cancer.

Is Prostate Cancer Hereditary?

Some prostate cancer cases are related to inherited gene mutations. Prostate cancer that runs in families is known as familial prostate cancer.

Gene mutations linked to familial prostate cancer include:

  • BRCA1 and BRCA2: The same genes known to increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers are linked to a greater risk of prostate cancer. You may have a higher chance of developing prostate cancer if people in your family have a history of prostate, breast, or ovarian cancer.

  • HOXB13: Mutations in this gene are associated with an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancers. Men with these mutations are also more likely to develop the disease at a young age.

  • Lynch syndrome: This is also known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Lynch syndrome is an inherited condition that increases the risk of many types of cancer (particularly colorectal), including prostate cancer.

  • RNASEL: This gene normally helps abnormal cells die. Inherited mutations in the RNASEL gene may inhibit its tumor-suppressing function, which research has shown may contribute to the risk of prostate cancer.

Talk to a healthcare provider about genetic testing if you have family members with a history of prostate, breast, colorectal, or ovarian cancer. They can help you understand your own hereditary risk.

Who Gets Prostate Cancer?

About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Some people are more likely to develop prostate cancer than others.

Factors that increase your likelihood of developing prostate cancer include:

  • Age: The risk of prostate cancer rises steadily after age 50. About 60% of all prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in people aged 65 and older.

  • Ethnicity and sex: Black men are more likely to develop prostate cancer, as well as more aggressive forms of the disease, at a younger age. They also have a higher risk of mortality compared to people of other races. The reason for this is unclear. Societal and social barriers may play a role. Asian American and Hispanic men have a lower risk of prostate cancer than non-Hispanic White people.

  • Family history: People with a family member who had prostate cancer have a two to three times higher-than-average risk of developing prostate cancer.

Related: What Causes Ovarian Cancer?

A Quick Review

Prostate cancer develops when abnormal cells in the prostate grow uncontrollably and form a tumor. The exact cause of prostate cancer is unknown. The prostate is a small gland that helps produce semen.

Certain risk factors, including age, geographical location, and family history, are known to increase the risk of the disease. Other risk factors, such as body weight, diet, exposure to certain chemicals, and prostatitis, may also play a role. Some prostate cancer cases are related to inherited gene mutations.

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