Prostate Cancer Risks
Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in men in the UK (not counting non melanoma skin cancer). There are some risk factors that we know about.
Age is the most significant risk factor. Nearly 6 out of 10 cases (57%) are in men over 70. It is quite rare in men under 50.
You may also be more at risk if you have a family history of prostate or breast cancer or are black (of African ancestry). Prostate cancer is more common in black and mixed race men than white or Asian men
Your diet may affect your risk. There is a lot of research going on and the evidence is not strong but you may increase your prostate cancer risk if you eat a diet high in dairy products. There is some evidence that lycopene from tomatoes may lower the risk.
Some studies have shown that having diabetes, and perhaps taking aspirin or other non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.