Genetic and environmental factors are important factors that play a role in the emergence and development of diseases. As in many cancers, genetic predisposition plays a very important role in prostate cancer. It has been demonstrated in many epidemiological studies that prostate cancer has both familial and genetic components. However, only 9% of men who get the disease have true hereditary prostate cancer. This definition includes patients who have 3 or more relatives with prostate cancer or who have at least 2 relatives diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of 55. Although it is seen 6-7 years earlier than non-hereditary prostate cancers, it has been determined that hereditary prostate cancers do not differ from non-hereditary prostate cancers in terms of clinical course and aggressiveness.
Having prostate cancer in one of the first-degree relatives increases the risk of developing the disease 1.8 times, while this risk increase is 5.5 times in those whose father and sibling have prostate cancer; It was found to be 7.7 times higher in those whose two brothers had prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is a disease that can be diagnosed and treated early. In terms of early diagnosis, it is very important for men without a family history of prostate cancer to visit a urology physician and have PSA scans from the age of 50 and those with 45 years of age.
Source:
European Association of Urology, Prostate Cancer guide 2020
https://uroweb.org/guideline/prostate-cancer/
