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Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States. It is also the second leading causes of cancer death among men of all races and men of Hispanic origin. In 2009, 206,640 men in the United States were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 28,088 men in the United States died from prostate cancer. The annual incidence of prostate cancer in Nebraska is approximately 450 per 100,000 men.

Risk Factors
Research has found risk factors that increase a man’s chance of getting prostate cancer. These risk factors include age, family history, and race. The older a man is, the greater his risk for getting prostate cancer. Certain genes (the functional and physical units of heredity passed from parent to offspring) that you inherited from your parents may affect your prostate cancer risk. Currently, no single gene is sure to raise or lower the risk of getting prostate cancer. However, a man with a father, brother, or son who has had prostate cancer is two to three times more likely to develop the disease himself. Prostate cancer is more common in some racial and ethnic groups than in others, but medical experts do not know why.

Causes
Researchers are trying to determine the causes of prostate cancer and whether it can be prevented. They do not yet agree on the factors that can influence a man's risk of developing the disease, either positively or negatively.

According to the National Cancer Institute, avoiding cancer risk factors such as smoking, being overweight, and lack of exercise may help prevent certain cancers. Increasing protective factors such as quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, and exercising may also help prevent some cancers.

Bostwick DG, Burke HB, Djakiew D, Euling S, Ho SM, Landolph J, Morrison H, Sonawane B, Shifflett T, Waters DJ, Timms B. Human prostate cancer risk factors. Cancer 2004;101(10 Suppl):2371–2490.
National Cancer Institute. Prostate Cancer Prevention (PDQ®). Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health.

Statistics
National: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/statistics/
Nebraska: http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Pages/ced_cancer_data.aspx

Prostate Cancer Treatment at Regional West
Regional West’s cancer services is committed to early diagnosis of prostate cancer, advanced treatment regimens, and aggressive prevention strategies. Our team of professionals is dedicated to offering ‘best practices’ and compassionate care to patients in western Nebraska and surrounding communities.

Online Prostate Cancer Resources: