| 1 Testosterone and its active | | | | to whites. In very old men prostate cancer is not |
| metabolite.Dihydro-testosterone are essential for | | | | always clinically significant. Autopsy data indicate a |
| prostate cancer to develop, but does not actually | | | | 70% incidence of prostate cancer in 80 year old men. |
| cause prostate cancer. Men who are castrated at a | | | | The majority of these men died with rather than |
| young age do not develop prostate cancer.2 | | | | from prostate cancer.3 Causes of prostate |
| Prevalence of prostate cancerOne in ten men will | | | | cancerThere is no single cause of prostate cancer. |
| develop clinically significant prostate cancer in their | | | | The cancer originates in the epithelial cells of the |
| lifetime. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in | | | | glandular elements of the prostate. As with most |
| American males with 250 000 new cases reported | | | | cancers defects in the DNA of the cell are central to |
| annually. Prostate cancer is second only to lung | | | | the development of prostate cancer. Multiple DNA |
| cancer as a cause of cancer death in both the USA | | | | defects are required for cancer to develop. This |
| and the UK. Prostate cancer is rare among Orientals. | | | | multi-step process takes place over time. Some |
| It is more common in black than white Americans. | | | | defects can be inherited, while others are acquired |
| The disease appears to present at a younger age | | | | during the patient's lifetime. Prostate cancer is |
| and behave more aggressively in American blacks. | | | | exceedingly rare before the age of 40, but 1 in 8 |
| Prostate cancer is common in South Africa and | | | | men between the ages of 60 and 80 years suffer |
| probably underreported as a cause of death. The | | | | from the disease. 9% of all prostate cancers are |
| exact incidence in South Africa is not known as no | | | | caused by a genetic susceptibility, probably inherited |
| large-scale epidemiological studies have been | | | | via chromosome 1. These genetically related cancers |
| performed. It is uncertain whether prostate cancer is | | | | tend to present at a relatively younger age.4 What is |
| more common in South African blacks as compared | | | | prostatitis? |