- Age is the strongest risk factor for prostate cancer. The chance of getting prostate cancer goes up quickly after a man reaches age 50. About 2 out of every 3 prostate cancers are found in men over the age of 65.
- Race: For unknown reasons, prostate cancer is more common among African-American men than among men of other races. African-American men are also more likely to have a more advanced disease when it is found and are more likely to die of the disease. Prostate cancer occurs less often in Asian American and Hispanic/Latino men than in non-Hispanic whites. The reasons for these racial and ethnic differences are not clear.
- Family: Prostate cancer seems to run in some families. Men with close family members (father or brother) who have had prostate cancer are more likely to get it themselves, especially if their relatives were young when they got the disease.
It is not yet know exactly what causes prostate cancer, but it is know that certain risk factors are linked to the disease.