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Prostate cancer (prostate cancer) - Causes
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
There are many factors of development and causes of prostate cancer. Conventionally, there are proven, suspected and probable causes of prostate cancer (cancer of the prostate gland).
Proven causes of prostate cancer (prostate gland cancer): age over 50, family history and congenital predisposition. Relatives of patients under 55 also have a high risk of developing the disease. If we consider only the patient's age as a risk factor, the cumulative probability that a man will develop the disease during his lifetime is as follows: at 50-55 years old it is 2%; at 70-75 years old - 8%; over 85 years old - 24%.
The suspected causes of prostate cancer (prostate cancer) are: the ratio of sex hormones in the blood, excess growth factors, insulin-like substances, leptin and low levels of vitamin D.
Possible causes of prostate cancer (cancer of the prostate gland) are sexual activity associated with the risk of contracting human papillomavirus infection, smoking as a source of cadmium, and consumption of foods rich in fat.
The development of prostate cancer (cancer of the prostate gland) is preceded by dysplastic changes in the epithelium, called prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. The increase in signs of cellular and structural atypia and disruption of the continuity of the basal layer lead to changes that are referred to as preinvasive cancer (cancer in situ). DG Bostwick and MK Brawer (1987) proposed a model of carcinogenesis in the prostate, which shows the transition from normal epithelium through two degrees of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia to carcinoma.
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