Prostate Cancer Causes: What to Know

Medically Reviewed by Shruthi N, MD on September 08, 2024
Written by Kendall K. Morgan
8 min read

Anyone with a prostate has some chance of getting prostate cancer. About 13 in every 100 men in the U.S. will find out they have prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime.

Many people may have prostate cancer without knowing it. Studies have shown that up to 1 in 3 men who are white may have prostate cancer by the age of 70 to 79. The incidence of prostate cancer in Black men aged 70 to 79 is even higher. 

If you or someone you love has prostate cancer, there's no way to find its exact cause. Like any cancer type, prostate cancer arises when changes in your cells at the genetic level make them grow and divide more than normal. Sometimes, those cells may grow or spread to other nearby parts of your body. They may also spread to other more distant parts of the body. In most cases, the changes that turn cells cancerous happen randomly when your cells make mistakes while copying their DNA.

Prostate cancer causes vs. risk factors

While there's no way to pinpoint the exact causes of prostate cancer, there are many things that increase your risk. Some people are more likely to get prostate cancer than others based on one or more gene variants they were born with. Lifestyle and other factors also play some role. Some of these risk factors you can change and others you can't.

You can take healthy steps to make prostate cancer less likely and to catch prostate cancer early when it's easier to treat. But it's important to know you could get prostate cancer even if you do everything you can to stay healthy and don't have any known risk factors. It's also possible for someone to have lots of risk factors for prostate cancer without getting it.

Acquired mutations are those that happen in your cells by accident during your lifetime. Most of the genes that play a role in driving the growth of prostate cancers are this type. These mistakes can happen any time your DNA is copied before a cell divides in two. Most of the time, your cells will detect and fix these errors. But sometimes, these mistakes are missed and, over time, can lead to cancer.

While these mistakes happen randomly, they may be more likely in some people than others based on many factors. For example, anything that makes your prostate cells grow faster and divide more may up the chances of getting acquired mutations related to prostate cancer. Scientists think this is one way hormones such as testosterone may affect your odds of getting prostate cancer.

If you have prostate cancer, your doctor may suggest testing your cancer cells to look for acquired mutations that may be driving your cancer's growth. These gene mutations can help you understand the causes of your prostate cancer better. Sometimes, they may also help you and your doctor choose among treatment options. They may also help you understand how fast your cancer is likely to grow and what your outlook may be.

Some genetic changes that lead to cancer can be passed down, or are inherited, from your parents. If you have a gene that makes cancer more likely and it's inherited, you'll have it in all of your cells throughout your body, not just in your prostate cancer cells. Up to 10% of prostate cancer cases may be related to genes that are inherited.

Many different genes that are involved in fixing mistakes in DNA, cell survival, or prostate development can make prostate cancer more likely. Some inherited genes with links to prostate cancer include:

  • BRCA1 and BRCA2
  • CHEK2
  • ATM
  • PALB2
  • RAD51
  • MSH2
  • MSH6
  • MLH1
  • PMS2
  • RNASEL
  • HOXB13

If you think prostate cancer may run in your family, ask your doctor if you should consider genetic testing to look for genes that may increase your risk. If you have prostate cancer already, you may also want to ask about genetic testing to understand the causes of your cancer better and see if others in your family may have more risk.

If you have prostate cancer, there's no way to say your diet is the reason. But experts generally agree that diet may add to the risk of prostate cancer. Differences in prostate cancer rates among countries may be explained in part by differences in the way people eat along with other lifestyle factors. Men who eat a lot of fatty foods — particularly from red meat and other sources of animal fat cooked at high heat — may be more likely to get advanced prostate cancer compared to those who don't. Prostate cancer is much more common in countries where people often eat meat and dairy products than in countries where the basic diet has more rice, soybean products, and vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cole slaw, or sauerkraut.

The underlying factors linking diet and prostate cancer are likely complex. For example, fats can cause your body to make more testosterone and other hormones, which may speed the growth of prostate cancer to make a diagnosis more likely. High testosterone levels may activate dormant prostate cancer cells, making them more likely to grow. Some findings suggest that high testosterone levels also influence when you'll get prostate cancer.

When it comes to diet and its link to prostate cancer, other factors may also play a role. For example, one study looked at men following a diet including lots of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. The diet was also low in fat. Participants exercised for an hour each day, too. Those who were following this diet and exercise program had lower levels of a growth factor called insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) in their blood after 11 days. High IGF-1 has links to cancers, including prostate cancer. But not all studies have found a link between IGF-1 and prostate cancer.

Some other evidence on prostate cancer and diet suggests many other possible links. For example:

  • Eating 28 or more servings of vegetables a week may protect against prostate cancer compared to eating 14 servings a week.
  • Eating cruciferous vegetables including broccoli or cauliflower may lower prostate cancer risk.
  • The sugars in fruit may lower prostate cancer risk.
  • Diets with lots of fiber may affect prostate cancer growth.
  • Diets with lots of saturated fat may make prostate cancer more likely.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and other foods may lower prostate cancer risk.
  • Eating fewer calories may lower prostate cancer risk.

More study is needed to understand how diet and prostate cancer are linked. If you're worried about your risk of prostate cancer, talk to your doctor or a nutritionist. They can guide you on how to make healthy changes to your diet that may help improve your overall health and lower your cancer risk.

There's some evidence obesity makes it more likely you'll die of prostate cancer. But obesity doesn't cause prostate cancer or make you more likely to have it. But studies are mixed. Some have found you're less likely to get slow-growing prostate cancer if you're obese and more likely to get prostate cancer that grows faster.

If you're obese and worried about your prostate cancer risk, ask your doctor about steps you can take to protect your health.

Age. Prostate cancer affects mainly older men. It is diagnosed in 6 out of 10 men over 65 but in less than 1% of men under 50. Though uncommon, prostate cancer can be seen in men even in their 30s and 40s. Most, if not all, men will experience an enlarged prostate as they age.

Family history. Men with a family history of prostate cancer are more likely to develop prostate cancer than the general population.

Exposures. Welders, battery manufacturers, rubber workers, and workers frequently exposed to the metal cadmium seem to be more likely to have prostate cancer.

Race. In the U.S., there are racial disparities for many cancers. This is especially true for prostate cancer. Black men are 1.67 times more likely to get a diagnosis of prostate cancer compared to white people. They are also more than twice as likely to die of prostate cancer. The reasons for this likely include differences in:

  • Social factors
  • Structural factors
  • Health care access, quality, and delivery
  • Cancer biology

The following factors may also influence your risk of getting prostate cancer or progressing to more advanced stages:

  • Height
  • High body mass index (BMI)
  • Low physical activity
  • Smoking
  • Prostate inflammation
  • Low tomato sauce consumption
  • High calcium intake
  • High linoleic acid intake

No clear or proven links exist between prostate cancer and any of the following sex-related or lifestyle factors:

There's no clear cause to explain why some people get prostate cancer and others don't. But many factors can influence your risk, including genes you carry, your exposures, your lifestyle, and other factors. If you're worried about prostate cancer or think that you may be at higher risk, talk to your doctor about healthy steps you may take to lower your risk.

What causes prostate problems in males?

Prostate cancer is common. Many men will have it if they live long enough. It's hard to pinpoint the precise cause, but age is a major factor. In addition to prostate cancer, most men will have prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) as they get older.

What feeds prostate cancer?

Prostate cancers often grow slowly, but sometimes they can grow faster and spread. If you have prostate cancer, your hormones may fuel their growth. Sometimes, doctors use hormone therapy to slow it down, especially if the cancer is already more advanced.

How do you prevent prostate cancer?

There's no sure way to prevent prostate cancer from happening. The best thing you can do is to take steps to live a healthy life, including eating well, exercising, not smoking, and drinking less. If you have an enlarged prostate, your doctor may suggest taking hormone-lowering drugs to help lower your cancer risk.

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