Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men, according to the Mayo Clinic. Beginning in the prostate gland--a gland that produces seminal fluid responsible for transporting and nourishing sperm--this cancer tends to develop slowly, remaining initially in the prostate gland. More than one type exists, though, and certain types are aggressive, spreading quickly. The exact cause of this cancer is not known, however several risk factors are thought to increase a man's chances of developing this disease.
Age
The risk factor with the strongest influence on a man's risk is his age. The Prostate Cancer Foundation explains that the older a man becomes, the greater his risk for developing prostate cancer. While it can occur in men under the age of 40, only one in 10,000 in this group develop this disease. Men between the ages of 40 to 59 have a significantly greater risk, as one in 38 in this group receive a diagnosis. The greatest risk is for men between the ages of 60 and 69--one in 15 suffer from prostate cancer.
Ethnicity
African-American men are 60 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, and are more than two times as likely to die from this disease. The ethnic group with the lowest risk are men of Asian descent.
Family History
Prostate cancer appears to be hereditary in some families. Therefore men whose first line family members--such as a brother or father who presently have or who have a history of this cancer--have a greater risk of developing this cancer. The risk increases if these family members developed this cancer at a younger age.
Diet
The American Cancer Society explains that while a man's diet appears to play a role in a man developing prostate cancer, it is not clear how significant this role is. It seems that men whose diet is high in red meat and high-fat dairy face a greater risk of developing prostate cancer.The National Institutes of Health Senior Health concurs, adding that a diet high in fruits and vegetables appears to decrease the risk.
Location
Men living in the United States have a 17 percent risk of developing prostate cancer, while men living in rural China have only a 2 percent risk, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The site adds that men from China who move to the United States face a substantially higher risk, although the reason is not known.
