An important risk factor is age; more than 70 percent of men diagnosed with this disease are over the age of 65. African American men have a substantially higher risk of prostate cancer than white men, including Hispanic men. In addition, dramatic differences in the incidence of prostate cancer are seen in different populations around the world.
Genetic factors appear to play a role in prostate cancer development, particularly among families in which the diagnosis is made in men under age 60. The risk of prostate cancer rises with the number of close relatives who have the disease.
Some evidence suggests that dietary factors may increase or decrease the risk of prostate cancer.
Source: the National Cancer Institute