Prostate Cancer
The prostate gland is responsible for male sexual semen. Is the dimension of a walnut and located beneath the urinary bladder, neighboring the urethra. Unlike other cancers, prostate cancer is characterized by very slowly evolve. Prostate cancer is extremely common, although its exact cause is unknown. When examined microscopically prostate tissue obtained after surgery or at autopsy, cancer is found in 50 percent of men over 70 years and virtually everyone over 90.
Based on epidemiological observations have suggested four main causes of prostate cancer:
- Genetic factors: Although there are indications that involve genetic factors in causing prostate cancer is difficult to separate these factors from environmental factors. Genetic studies have shown that there is a specific gene on chromosome 1 or HPC-1 gene that increases the likelihood of getting prostate cancer.
- Hormonal factors: Several studies have suggested that hormonal factors may play a role in the development of prostate cancer.
- Environmental factors: Those who migrate from regions of low incidence to high incidence regions maintain a low incidence of prostate cancer for a generation and then adopt an intermediate incidence. Also there have been identified several environmental factors that may be promoters of prostate cancer.
- Infectious agents: It has been considered as an infectious agent transmitted by sexual contact may cause prostate cancer, however, epidemiological, virological and immunological have provided conflicting results. Epidemiological studies have suggested an increased risk of prostate cancer associated with an increased number of sexual partners, a history of sexually transmitted disease, frequency of intercourse, sex with prostitutes and young age at onset of sexual activity.
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