There are self-care strategies that may aid in helping to preventprostate cancer, the third most common cause of cancer-related death in men. Located below the bladder, the prostate is the gland responsible for producing fluid for semen.
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Risk Factors
One of the first steps ofprostate cancer preventionis learning the keyrisk factors for prostate cancer. Those risk factors include:
Prostate cancer risk rises rapidly after age 50, and almost six out of ten incidences of prostate cancer occur in people over age 65. Prostate cancer is also more common among African-Americans than people of other races.
Signs and Symptoms
People with prostate cancer often have elevated levels of a substance calledprostate specific antigen (PSA), which can be detected through medical screenings and may be asymptomatic. Othersymptomsinclude:
Natural Approach to Prostate Cancer Prevention
Research suggests that the following natural substances may be of some benefit in prostate cancer prevention:
1) Lycopene
A number of studies indicate that regular consumption oflycopene(an antioxidant found in foods like tomato and watermelon) may help reduce prostate cancer risk.However, no studies have proven that taking lycopene in supplement form can decrease the risk of prostate cancer.
2) Vitamin D
3) Omega-3 Fatty Acids
4) Green Tea
In a population study published in 2008, researchers looked at data on 49,920 men (ages 40 to 69) and found that consumption ofgreen teawas linked to a reduced risk of advanced prostate cancer.
More Strategies for Prostate Cancer Prevention
If you’re considering using any type of dietary supplement for prostate cancer prevention, make sure to consult your healthcare provider about the potential benefits and risks involved. Self-treating and avoiding or delaying standard care can have serious consequences.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rawla P.Epidemiology of Prostate Cancer.World J Oncol. 2019 Apr;10(2):63-89. doi:10.14740/wjon1191American Cancer Society.Prostate Cancer Risk Factors.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Prostate cancer symptoms.Chen P, Zhang W, Wang X, Zhao K, Negi DS, Zhuo L, Qi M, Wang X, Zhang X.Lycopene and Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Medicine (Baltimore). 2015 Aug;94(33):e1260. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000001260World Cancer Research Fund International.Vitamin D and Prostate Cancer.Fradet V, Cheng I, Casey G, Witte JS.Dietary omega-3 fatty acids, cyclooxygenase-2 genetic variation, and aggressive prostate cancer risk.Clin Cancer Res. 2009 Apr 1;15(7):2559-66. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-08-2503Kurahashi N, Sasazuki S, Iwasaki M, Inoue M, Shoichiro Tsugane for the JPHC Study Group.Green tea consumption and prostate cancer risk in japanese men: a prospective study.American Journal of Epidemiology. 2007;167(1):71-77. doi:10.1093/aje/kwm249
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rawla P.Epidemiology of Prostate Cancer.World J Oncol. 2019 Apr;10(2):63-89. doi:10.14740/wjon1191American Cancer Society.Prostate Cancer Risk Factors.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Prostate cancer symptoms.Chen P, Zhang W, Wang X, Zhao K, Negi DS, Zhuo L, Qi M, Wang X, Zhang X.Lycopene and Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Medicine (Baltimore). 2015 Aug;94(33):e1260. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000001260World Cancer Research Fund International.Vitamin D and Prostate Cancer.Fradet V, Cheng I, Casey G, Witte JS.Dietary omega-3 fatty acids, cyclooxygenase-2 genetic variation, and aggressive prostate cancer risk.Clin Cancer Res. 2009 Apr 1;15(7):2559-66. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-08-2503Kurahashi N, Sasazuki S, Iwasaki M, Inoue M, Shoichiro Tsugane for the JPHC Study Group.Green tea consumption and prostate cancer risk in japanese men: a prospective study.American Journal of Epidemiology. 2007;167(1):71-77. doi:10.1093/aje/kwm249
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Rawla P.Epidemiology of Prostate Cancer.World J Oncol. 2019 Apr;10(2):63-89. doi:10.14740/wjon1191American Cancer Society.Prostate Cancer Risk Factors.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Prostate cancer symptoms.Chen P, Zhang W, Wang X, Zhao K, Negi DS, Zhuo L, Qi M, Wang X, Zhang X.Lycopene and Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Medicine (Baltimore). 2015 Aug;94(33):e1260. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000001260World Cancer Research Fund International.Vitamin D and Prostate Cancer.Fradet V, Cheng I, Casey G, Witte JS.Dietary omega-3 fatty acids, cyclooxygenase-2 genetic variation, and aggressive prostate cancer risk.Clin Cancer Res. 2009 Apr 1;15(7):2559-66. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-08-2503Kurahashi N, Sasazuki S, Iwasaki M, Inoue M, Shoichiro Tsugane for the JPHC Study Group.Green tea consumption and prostate cancer risk in japanese men: a prospective study.American Journal of Epidemiology. 2007;167(1):71-77. doi:10.1093/aje/kwm249
Rawla P.Epidemiology of Prostate Cancer.World J Oncol. 2019 Apr;10(2):63-89. doi:10.14740/wjon1191
American Cancer Society.Prostate Cancer Risk Factors.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Prostate cancer symptoms.
Chen P, Zhang W, Wang X, Zhao K, Negi DS, Zhuo L, Qi M, Wang X, Zhang X.Lycopene and Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Medicine (Baltimore). 2015 Aug;94(33):e1260. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000001260
World Cancer Research Fund International.Vitamin D and Prostate Cancer.
Fradet V, Cheng I, Casey G, Witte JS.Dietary omega-3 fatty acids, cyclooxygenase-2 genetic variation, and aggressive prostate cancer risk.Clin Cancer Res. 2009 Apr 1;15(7):2559-66. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-08-2503
Kurahashi N, Sasazuki S, Iwasaki M, Inoue M, Shoichiro Tsugane for the JPHC Study Group.Green tea consumption and prostate cancer risk in japanese men: a prospective study.American Journal of Epidemiology. 2007;167(1):71-77. doi:10.1093/aje/kwm249
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