What causes prostate cancer in males?

Cancer-forming DNA changes disrupt the instructions that normally control cell growth, repair and death. Some changes are inherited from a parent, while others arise in prostate cells during life. Doctors often cannot identify a single event that started an individual person's cancer.

A risk factor raises the chance of developing prostate cancer; it does not prove why one person developed it. Risk rises with age. A father, brother or other close relative with prostate cancer can point to shared inherited susceptibility, especially when several relatives have related cancers. Certain ancestry backgrounds are also associated with higher risk, reflecting a mixture of inherited, health-care and environmental influences.

Prostate cancer is not contagious, and it is not caused by sexual activity, masturbation or a personal failing. Someone may develop it without a known family history or obvious risk factor.

Write down which relatives had prostate, breast, ovarian, pancreatic or bowel cancer and, if known, how old they were at diagnosis. Share this pattern with your clinician. They can explain whether genetic counselling or testing may clarify an inherited risk and what a result could mean for relatives.

Discuss prostate screening rather than assuming you need the same plan as everyone else. The decision may consider your age, ancestry, family history, general health and preferences. A prostate-specific antigen blood test can help assess risk, but it cannot by itself confirm cancer, and an abnormal result can have non-cancer causes.

There is no certain way to prevent prostate cancer. Regular physical activity, avoiding tobacco and choosing a varied diet can support general health, but these habits do not cancel inherited or age-related risk.

Early prostate cancer may cause no symptoms. When prostate cancer does cause urinary symptoms, it may present with difficulty starting or passing urine, a weaker flow or a need to urinate more often. These changes also occur with non-cancerous prostate conditions, so they need assessment rather than self-diagnosis.

Arrange a medical appointment for persistent urinary changes, blood in urine or semen, unexplained weight loss, or ongoing pain in the back, hips or pelvis. Seek urgent care if you cannot pass urine. New leg weakness or numbness, or loss of bladder or bowel control, requires emergency assessment because pressure on the spinal cord must be treated quickly.

You might ask: Which parts of my family history affect my risk? Should I speak with a genetic counsellor? What are the possible benefits and drawbacks of prostate-specific antigen testing for me? If my result is raised, what other causes will you consider and what would the next step be?