Statistical data
Prostate cancer is more likely to occur in older men, 6 out of 10 cases are diagnosed in men aged 65 years and the average age at diagnosis is 66 years.
Approximately one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

How does it originate?
Prostate cancer occurs when cells begin to grow out of control. The prostate is a gland that only men have and is responsible for producing part of the liquid that makes up semen.

Causes, risk factors and prevention
A risk factor is something that increases the probability of suffering from a disease, in this case cancer. Each type of cancer has different risk factors.
In the case of prostate cancer we have some that are modifiable, such as smoking, diet, obesity, among others. However, there are some that are not modifiable, such as:

• Age. The chance of developing prostate cancer increases rapidly after age 50.
• The race. It occurs more frequently in black men and in Caribbean men of African descent.
• Family background. It is suggested that in some cases there may be a hereditary or genetic factor.
  Having one or more risk factors does not mean that you will get the disease.

Signs and symptoms
Generally, prostate cancer in the early stage does not cause symptoms, however, more advanced ones may present the following:

• Problems urinating, including a slow or weakened urinary stream. There may also be a need to urinate more frequently, especially at night.
• Blood in urine or semen.
• Difficulty getting an erection (erectile dysfunction).
• Pain in the hips, back, chest, or other areas due to cancer that has spread to the bones.
• Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet, or even loss of bladder or bowel control.