Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsLifestyleEjaculation FrequencyRegular ScreeningPredicting MetastasisPredicting Recurrence
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Lifestyle
Ejaculation Frequency
Regular Screening
Predicting Metastasis
Predicting Recurrence
Approximately 1 in 8 people with a prostate are diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.The main risk factors for this condition cannot be changed. They are:
The scientific evidence linking lifestyle habits to increased or decreased prostate cancer risk is mixed. However, some modifiable risk factors have been identified, which may reduce your risk both before diagnosis and after treatment.
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Importance of Lifestyle
Making proactive, healthy lifestyle choices can help you avoid several life-threatening conditions, likeheart disease,diabetes, and certain cancers. In some instances, this may includeprostate cancer.
Diet and Weight
Multiple studies have explored the impact of food choices on prostate cancer risk. A diet that is low in cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, kale, and cauliflower, has been linked to an increase in aggressive (fast-growing) prostate cancer risk. So has a diet high in red meat, like beef.
Data from the Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (CaPSURE), a study of approximately 15,000 people diagnosed with prostate cancer, found that high-fat dairy products, including whole milk, may increase the risk of aggressive prostate cancer recurrence. This risk was found to be particularly high in those who were overweight or had obesity.
Obesity, in general, has not been shown to increase the risk of prostate cancer.Data on the role weight may play in disease acquisition or recurrence is mixed.
Some studies indicate that people with obesity are at a lower risk of getting slow-growing (slow-grade) prostate cancer but at heightened risk for aggressive, fast-growing forms of this disease. There is also some evidence that people with obesity are at a higher risk for prostate cancer death.
Smoking
Studies have not found cigarette smoking increases the risk of getting low-risk prostate cancer, but it may be a risk factor for aggressive disease.Data also indicates that smokers with prostate cancer are at an increased risk of dying from the disease.
Exercise
Notexercisingand having a sedentary lifestyle may increase the risk for aggressive prostate cancer.A systematic review of multiple studies found that having a low level of physical activity was a modifiable risk factor for this disease.A separate, large-scale review had similar findings.
Chemical Exposure
Toxic chemical exposure may increase the risk of certain types of cancer, including prostate cancer. Chemicals that have this effect are referred to as carcinogens. Carcinogens alter the DNA in cells, changing the way they work.
Several chemicals, including arsenic, have been shown to increase the risk of prostate cancer.Arsenic and other chemicals have been found to increase this risk in firefighters, who are exposed to a wide range of toxins at work.Cancer-causing chemicals may be inherent in the fires themselves or in the equipment used to fight them.
As indicated above, getting older is a risk factor for prostate cancer. This includes aging Vietnam-era veterans, who were exposed to Agent Orange either domestically on military bases or in combat zones,
Potential Benefits of Herbs and Supplements
No natural ingredient or dietary supplement has been shown to be a “magic bullet” for reducing or eliminating prostate cancer risk. Potentialnatural remediesmay be beneficial, although research evidence is limited. They include:
Orgasms and Ejaculation Frequency
The prostate gland produces seminal fluid. This fluid nourishes and transports sperm cells outside of the penis during ejaculation.Frequent ejaculationsthroughout adult life have been shown in one large, U.S.-based study to reduce the risk of low-risk prostate cancer.
The exact reason why frequent ejaculations may have this effect is not completely clear. It’s thought that ejaculating seminal fluid may clear the prostate of cancer-causing substances that have accumulated there.
It’s the elimination of seminal fluid from the penis that has this effect, not the orgasm that often accompanies it. Keep in mind that it is possible to ejaculate without having an orgasm. It’s also possible to have an orgasm without ejaculation.
Prostate Cancer Screenings
Early prostate cancer is typically asymptomatic (has no symptoms).If you’re in a high-risk group or if you were already diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer, your healthcare provider may recommend regular screenings.
Screening guidelines say that the screening decision is individual for people age 55 to 69, and screening should not be performed for those age 70 and over.This is because screening has potential harms that may not outweigh the benefits. These harms include false positive results, overdiagnosis, overtreatment, and complications of treatment.
A Word From VerywellProstate cancer screening should involve shared decision-making between the person and their healthcare provider, as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test can have both risks and benefits.—AMELIA MACINTYRE, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Prostate cancer screening should involve shared decision-making between the person and their healthcare provider, as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test can have both risks and benefits.—AMELIA MACINTYRE, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Prostate cancer screening should involve shared decision-making between the person and their healthcare provider, as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test can have both risks and benefits.
—AMELIA MACINTYRE, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Prostate-Specific Antigen Blood Test
PSA tests alone are not enough to diagnose prostate cancer. However, they’re easy to administer and helpful for indicating the need for additional testing. Because they’re beneficial for finding evidence of early prostate cancer, they’re often available in nonmedical settings, such as car shows and golf tournaments.
PSA proteins are produced in the prostate gland. This test measures the amount of PSA in blood. Elevated PSA levels can indicate several conditions in addition to prostate cancer, such as urinary tract infections and prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate). It may also detect slow-growing prostate cancers that would not cause ill effects if left untreated.
Digital Rectal Exam
For this exam, your healthcare provider will insert a gloved finger into your rectum. They will feel the prostate, and check it for size, symmetry, texture, and abnormalities, like lumps.
Like the PSA blood test, this exam will not be enough to make a diagnosis. If your healthcare provider suspects thatdiagnostic testingis needed, they will recommend additional tests, such as a biopsy (removal of tissue to analyze in the lab) or magnetic resonance imagining (MRI).
What About a Prostate Massage?
Predictors of Prostate Cancer Metastasis
If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, your oncologist (cancer specialist) may utilize biomarkers in an attempt to predict whether your cancer will spread (metastasize).
Biomarker testing provides information about a tumor’s genetic makeup. This may be beneficial for determining treatment options and for indicating whether the cancer will spread quickly, slowly, or not at all.
Biomarker (somatic) testing is done on biopsied prostate tissue samples or tissue removed from a surgically removed prostate. This laboratory test looks for changes in genes found in prostate cancer cells. The way these genes function and behave may impact the tumor’s growth and ability to spread, which may provide clues about the likelihood of metastasis.
Predictors of Prostate Cancer Recurrence
If you have been diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer, your oncologist may use a predictive calculator, called a nomogram, to determine if you’re likely to have a recurrence in the future.No matter what the result, ongoing screenings will still be recommended.
In cancer treatment, a nomogram is a mathematical model that provides information about the relationship between cancer indicators, like tumor characteristics. To predict the odds of a prostate cancer recurrence, your healthcare provider will consider several factors, such as:
Summary
The most significant risk factors for prostate cancer are getting older, Black or African ethnicity, and family history of the disease. However, having any or all of these risk factors does not mean you will get prostate cancer.
There is some evidence that modifying lifestyle habits may reduce your overall risk. These include eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables, reducing dairy and red meat intake, and exercising more. Smoking has been shown to increase mortality risk from this disease.
The best way to combat prostate cancer is to get screened often. Despite the potential for overdiagnosis, getting screened will help you get an early diagnosis and, possibly, a better outcome.
26 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.American Cancer Society.Key statistics for prostate cancer.American Cancer Society.Prostate cancer risk factors.Prostate Cancer Foundation.Prostate cancer risk factors.López-Plaza B, Bermejo LM, Santurino C, et al.Milk and dairy product consumption and prostate cancer risk and mortality: an overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Advances in Nutrition. 2019;10:S212-S223. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz014Tat D, Kenfield SA, Cowan JE, et al.Milk and other dairy foods in relation to prostate cancer recurrence: data from the Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (Capsure™).The Prostate. 2018;78(1):32-39. doi:10.1002/pros.23441Al-Fayez S, El-Metwally A.Cigarette smoking and prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Tob Induc Dis. 2023;21:1-12. doi:10.18332/tid/157231Bergengren O, Pekala KR, Matsoukas K, et al.2022 update on prostate cancer epidemiology and risk factors—a systematic review.European Urology. 2023;84(2):191-206. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2023.04.021Cui H, Zhang W, Zhang L, et al.Risk factors for prostate cancer: an umbrella review of prospective observational studies and mendelian randomization analyses. Chaudhuri AA, ed.PLoS Med. 2024;21(3):e1004362. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1004362Baccarelli A, Bollati V.Epigenetics and environmental chemicals.Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 2009;21(2):243-251. doi:10.1097/mop.0b013e32832925ccAmerican Cancer Society.Firefighters and cancer risk.Prostate Cancer Foundation.Agent Orange and prostate cancer.Ansbaugh N, Shannon J, Mori M, Farris PE, Garzotto M.Agent Orange as a risk factor for high‐grade prostate cancer.Cancer. 2013;119(13):2399-2404. doi:10.1002/cncr.27941 (landmark study)Department of Veterans Affairs.Prostate cancer and Agent Orange.Trisha AT, Shakil MH, Talukdar S, Rovina K, Huda N, Zzaman W.Tea polyphenols and their preventive measures against cancer: current trends and directions.Foods. 2022;11(21):3349. doi:10.3390/foods11213349Chen P, Zhang W, Wang X, et al.Lycopene and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Medicine (Baltimore). 2015;94(33):e1260. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000001260Termini D, Den Hartogh DJ, Jaglanian A, Tsiani E.Curcumin against prostate cancer: current evidence.Biomolecules. 2020;10(11):1536. doi:10.3390/biom10111536Rider JR, Wilson KM, Sinnott JA, Kelly RS, Mucci LA, Giovannucci EL.Ejaculation frequency and risk of prostate cancer: updated results with an additional decade of follow-up.European Urology. 2016;70(6):974-982. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2016.03.027Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Why more sex may lower prostate cancer risk.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer.U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Prostate cancer: screening.NYU Langone Health Perlmutter Cancer Center.Prostate cancer screening.San Francisco IF, Rojas PA, Bravo JC, et al.Can we predict prostate cancer metastasis based on biomarkers? Where are we now?IJMS. 2023;24(15):12508. doi:10.3390/ijms241512508Zero Prostate Cancer.Biomarkers and genomic testing.Baylor Medicine.Prostate cancer prediction.Zero Prostate Cancer.What are prostate cancer stages and grades?Ramundo V, Palazzo ML, Aldieri E.Tgf-β as predictive marker and pharmacological target in lung cancer approach.Cancers. 2023;15(8):2295. doi:10.3390/cancers15082295
26 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.American Cancer Society.Key statistics for prostate cancer.American Cancer Society.Prostate cancer risk factors.Prostate Cancer Foundation.Prostate cancer risk factors.López-Plaza B, Bermejo LM, Santurino C, et al.Milk and dairy product consumption and prostate cancer risk and mortality: an overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Advances in Nutrition. 2019;10:S212-S223. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz014Tat D, Kenfield SA, Cowan JE, et al.Milk and other dairy foods in relation to prostate cancer recurrence: data from the Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (Capsure™).The Prostate. 2018;78(1):32-39. doi:10.1002/pros.23441Al-Fayez S, El-Metwally A.Cigarette smoking and prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Tob Induc Dis. 2023;21:1-12. doi:10.18332/tid/157231Bergengren O, Pekala KR, Matsoukas K, et al.2022 update on prostate cancer epidemiology and risk factors—a systematic review.European Urology. 2023;84(2):191-206. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2023.04.021Cui H, Zhang W, Zhang L, et al.Risk factors for prostate cancer: an umbrella review of prospective observational studies and mendelian randomization analyses. Chaudhuri AA, ed.PLoS Med. 2024;21(3):e1004362. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1004362Baccarelli A, Bollati V.Epigenetics and environmental chemicals.Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 2009;21(2):243-251. doi:10.1097/mop.0b013e32832925ccAmerican Cancer Society.Firefighters and cancer risk.Prostate Cancer Foundation.Agent Orange and prostate cancer.Ansbaugh N, Shannon J, Mori M, Farris PE, Garzotto M.Agent Orange as a risk factor for high‐grade prostate cancer.Cancer. 2013;119(13):2399-2404. doi:10.1002/cncr.27941 (landmark study)Department of Veterans Affairs.Prostate cancer and Agent Orange.Trisha AT, Shakil MH, Talukdar S, Rovina K, Huda N, Zzaman W.Tea polyphenols and their preventive measures against cancer: current trends and directions.Foods. 2022;11(21):3349. doi:10.3390/foods11213349Chen P, Zhang W, Wang X, et al.Lycopene and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Medicine (Baltimore). 2015;94(33):e1260. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000001260Termini D, Den Hartogh DJ, Jaglanian A, Tsiani E.Curcumin against prostate cancer: current evidence.Biomolecules. 2020;10(11):1536. doi:10.3390/biom10111536Rider JR, Wilson KM, Sinnott JA, Kelly RS, Mucci LA, Giovannucci EL.Ejaculation frequency and risk of prostate cancer: updated results with an additional decade of follow-up.European Urology. 2016;70(6):974-982. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2016.03.027Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Why more sex may lower prostate cancer risk.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer.U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Prostate cancer: screening.NYU Langone Health Perlmutter Cancer Center.Prostate cancer screening.San Francisco IF, Rojas PA, Bravo JC, et al.Can we predict prostate cancer metastasis based on biomarkers? Where are we now?IJMS. 2023;24(15):12508. doi:10.3390/ijms241512508Zero Prostate Cancer.Biomarkers and genomic testing.Baylor Medicine.Prostate cancer prediction.Zero Prostate Cancer.What are prostate cancer stages and grades?Ramundo V, Palazzo ML, Aldieri E.Tgf-β as predictive marker and pharmacological target in lung cancer approach.Cancers. 2023;15(8):2295. doi:10.3390/cancers15082295
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.
American Cancer Society.Key statistics for prostate cancer.American Cancer Society.Prostate cancer risk factors.Prostate Cancer Foundation.Prostate cancer risk factors.López-Plaza B, Bermejo LM, Santurino C, et al.Milk and dairy product consumption and prostate cancer risk and mortality: an overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Advances in Nutrition. 2019;10:S212-S223. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz014Tat D, Kenfield SA, Cowan JE, et al.Milk and other dairy foods in relation to prostate cancer recurrence: data from the Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (Capsure™).The Prostate. 2018;78(1):32-39. doi:10.1002/pros.23441Al-Fayez S, El-Metwally A.Cigarette smoking and prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Tob Induc Dis. 2023;21:1-12. doi:10.18332/tid/157231Bergengren O, Pekala KR, Matsoukas K, et al.2022 update on prostate cancer epidemiology and risk factors—a systematic review.European Urology. 2023;84(2):191-206. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2023.04.021Cui H, Zhang W, Zhang L, et al.Risk factors for prostate cancer: an umbrella review of prospective observational studies and mendelian randomization analyses. Chaudhuri AA, ed.PLoS Med. 2024;21(3):e1004362. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1004362Baccarelli A, Bollati V.Epigenetics and environmental chemicals.Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 2009;21(2):243-251. doi:10.1097/mop.0b013e32832925ccAmerican Cancer Society.Firefighters and cancer risk.Prostate Cancer Foundation.Agent Orange and prostate cancer.Ansbaugh N, Shannon J, Mori M, Farris PE, Garzotto M.Agent Orange as a risk factor for high‐grade prostate cancer.Cancer. 2013;119(13):2399-2404. doi:10.1002/cncr.27941 (landmark study)Department of Veterans Affairs.Prostate cancer and Agent Orange.Trisha AT, Shakil MH, Talukdar S, Rovina K, Huda N, Zzaman W.Tea polyphenols and their preventive measures against cancer: current trends and directions.Foods. 2022;11(21):3349. doi:10.3390/foods11213349Chen P, Zhang W, Wang X, et al.Lycopene and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Medicine (Baltimore). 2015;94(33):e1260. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000001260Termini D, Den Hartogh DJ, Jaglanian A, Tsiani E.Curcumin against prostate cancer: current evidence.Biomolecules. 2020;10(11):1536. doi:10.3390/biom10111536Rider JR, Wilson KM, Sinnott JA, Kelly RS, Mucci LA, Giovannucci EL.Ejaculation frequency and risk of prostate cancer: updated results with an additional decade of follow-up.European Urology. 2016;70(6):974-982. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2016.03.027Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Why more sex may lower prostate cancer risk.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer.U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Prostate cancer: screening.NYU Langone Health Perlmutter Cancer Center.Prostate cancer screening.San Francisco IF, Rojas PA, Bravo JC, et al.Can we predict prostate cancer metastasis based on biomarkers? Where are we now?IJMS. 2023;24(15):12508. doi:10.3390/ijms241512508Zero Prostate Cancer.Biomarkers and genomic testing.Baylor Medicine.Prostate cancer prediction.Zero Prostate Cancer.What are prostate cancer stages and grades?Ramundo V, Palazzo ML, Aldieri E.Tgf-β as predictive marker and pharmacological target in lung cancer approach.Cancers. 2023;15(8):2295. doi:10.3390/cancers15082295
American Cancer Society.Key statistics for prostate cancer.
American Cancer Society.Prostate cancer risk factors.
Prostate Cancer Foundation.Prostate cancer risk factors.
López-Plaza B, Bermejo LM, Santurino C, et al.Milk and dairy product consumption and prostate cancer risk and mortality: an overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Advances in Nutrition. 2019;10:S212-S223. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz014
Tat D, Kenfield SA, Cowan JE, et al.Milk and other dairy foods in relation to prostate cancer recurrence: data from the Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (Capsure™).The Prostate. 2018;78(1):32-39. doi:10.1002/pros.23441
Al-Fayez S, El-Metwally A.Cigarette smoking and prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Tob Induc Dis. 2023;21:1-12. doi:10.18332/tid/157231
Bergengren O, Pekala KR, Matsoukas K, et al.2022 update on prostate cancer epidemiology and risk factors—a systematic review.European Urology. 2023;84(2):191-206. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2023.04.021
Cui H, Zhang W, Zhang L, et al.Risk factors for prostate cancer: an umbrella review of prospective observational studies and mendelian randomization analyses. Chaudhuri AA, ed.PLoS Med. 2024;21(3):e1004362. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1004362
Baccarelli A, Bollati V.Epigenetics and environmental chemicals.Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 2009;21(2):243-251. doi:10.1097/mop.0b013e32832925cc
American Cancer Society.Firefighters and cancer risk.
Prostate Cancer Foundation.Agent Orange and prostate cancer.
Ansbaugh N, Shannon J, Mori M, Farris PE, Garzotto M.Agent Orange as a risk factor for high‐grade prostate cancer.Cancer. 2013;119(13):2399-2404. doi:10.1002/cncr.27941 (landmark study)
Department of Veterans Affairs.Prostate cancer and Agent Orange.
Trisha AT, Shakil MH, Talukdar S, Rovina K, Huda N, Zzaman W.Tea polyphenols and their preventive measures against cancer: current trends and directions.Foods. 2022;11(21):3349. doi:10.3390/foods11213349
Chen P, Zhang W, Wang X, et al.Lycopene and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Medicine (Baltimore). 2015;94(33):e1260. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000001260
Termini D, Den Hartogh DJ, Jaglanian A, Tsiani E.Curcumin against prostate cancer: current evidence.Biomolecules. 2020;10(11):1536. doi:10.3390/biom10111536
Rider JR, Wilson KM, Sinnott JA, Kelly RS, Mucci LA, Giovannucci EL.Ejaculation frequency and risk of prostate cancer: updated results with an additional decade of follow-up.European Urology. 2016;70(6):974-982. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2016.03.027
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Why more sex may lower prostate cancer risk.
American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Prostate cancer: screening.
NYU Langone Health Perlmutter Cancer Center.Prostate cancer screening.
San Francisco IF, Rojas PA, Bravo JC, et al.Can we predict prostate cancer metastasis based on biomarkers? Where are we now?IJMS. 2023;24(15):12508. doi:10.3390/ijms241512508
Zero Prostate Cancer.Biomarkers and genomic testing.
Baylor Medicine.Prostate cancer prediction.
Zero Prostate Cancer.What are prostate cancer stages and grades?
Ramundo V, Palazzo ML, Aldieri E.Tgf-β as predictive marker and pharmacological target in lung cancer approach.Cancers. 2023;15(8):2295. doi:10.3390/cancers15082295
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