Causes of prostate cancer
Although the exact cause of prostate cancer has not been identified, several risk factors have been noted to have a role in its occurrence.
These include the following:
- Family history of prostate cancer
- Elevated levels of testosterone over many years
- Belonging to the African-American race
- Diet high in fat (especially polyunsaturated fatty acid or PUFA) and deficient in vitamin D
- Chronic exposure to cadmium and other environmental pollutants such as pesticides
- Men working in rubber industries may have an increased risk
These factors may act together or as a single agent resulting in modification of the genes that are responsible for the normal cell production in the prostate gland. The cells in the prostate gland begin to form at an abnormal rate (referred as a tumor) either due to such gene modifications or due to the increased stimulation from the testosterone hormone resulting in cancer.1
Next page: Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: April 20, 2012