Patients and Care Givers  |  Types of Cancer  |  Prostate  |  Risk Factors & Symptoms

Risk Factors & Symptoms1

Simply put, all men are at risk of prostate cancer and the most common risk factor is age1. However, some men have an increased risk due to race, ethnicity, and family history. Black men have higher rates of getting and dying from prostate cancer.2

My daughter said (prostate cancer) was an old black man’s disease. She said something else is going to kill you before that … but I wanted it treated and out of the body so that it did not spread to other areas of the body that are not as predictable for an old black man."
Amos Tingle

All men with a family history of certain types of cancer are more likely to get prostate cancer. For these men there are genetic factors that may put them at higher risk of prostate cancer.

My daughter said (prostate cancer) was an old black man’s disease. She said something else is going to kill you before that … but I wanted it treated and out of the body so that it did not spread to other areas of the body that are not as predictable for an old black man."
Amos Tingle

All men with a family history of certain types of cancer are more likely to get prostate cancer. For these men there are genetic factors that may put them at higher risk of prostate cancer.

Genetic Factors for a Higher Risk of Prostate Cancer

You have:

– more than one first-degree relative (father, son, or brother) who had prostate cancer, including relatives in three generations on your mother’s or father’s side of the family.

You were:

– diagnosed with prostate cancer when you were 55 years old or younger.

– diagnosed with prostate cancer, and other members of your family have been diagnosed with breast, ovarian, or pancreatic cancer.

In many cases, like in my case, it can affect you when you’re young and it’s fast-growing. If you’re not aware of it, in many cases men don’t find out until they’re beyond help. In many cases, you don’t have signs or symptoms, it’s fast-growing, and it can affect you when you’re young. That kinda disturbed me … it was never something on my radar that annually I need to talk to my doctor and be concerned about this. The other thing I learned that really upset me is that my father had prostate cancer … and I found out now that if your father has prostate cancer, you have a 50% greater chance of getting the disease. Again, I was aware of it and it was never on my radar until I’m sitting in the doctor’s office being told you have this disease, it’s aggressive, and you could die."
Jonathan Chance

Don't miss those important moments - get screened often

Out of 100 men in the USA [1] 13 will get prostate cancer 2-3 will die

Learn more

Learn more about risk factors on the CDC website

The symptoms of prostate cancer can vary from person to person.

In fact, it is more common for men with prostate cancer to have no symptoms at all. Most men are diagnosed with prostate cancer after screening or after lab work due to symptoms for an issue that may not be related to prostate cancer.1

Common Symptoms of Prostate Cancer3

Trouble
Urinating

Trouble Urinating

• Difficulty starting urination.
•Weak or interrupted stream.
• Frequent urination, especially at night.

Pain & Disfunction

Pain & Disfunction

• Pain or burning during urination.
• Painful ejaculation.
• Erectile disfunction.
• Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that doesn’t go away.

Other

Other

• Unintended weight loss.
• Blood in the urine or semen.

Ask your doctor

It is also important to note that these symptoms may be caused by conditions other than prostate cancer. If experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your doctor right away.

Download this overview of prostate seed brachytherapy

Find a Physician

Locate specialist physicians across the U.S.
coming soon

[1] CDC Website – Prostate Cancer – Risk Factors 

[2] CDC Website – Cancer – Health Equity – African American 

[3] Mayo Clinic Website – Prostate Cancer Symptoms /Causes 

Related pages

Talk to a Physician

Prostate Cancer Overview

Screening & Diagnosis

Proud Supporters of Movember:

movember24
movember24-1
movember24-4
movember24-3
movember24-2

Together, we can make a difference for men’s health.

Help support us by visiting our THERA STACHE fundraing page:

Donate now

Connect with Us

Stay connected. 
Join our Life after Seeds Facebook Group

Life after Seeds on Facebook