Myth 3

Make it stand out

Wrong. While a family history of prostate cancer raises a man’s odds of being diagnosed to 1 in 3, the fact remains that 1 out of every 8 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. This compares to 1 in 8 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer. African American men are 74% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 2.4 times more likely to die as a result. Veterans are also at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer and are 1 in 5.

Family history and genetics do, however, play a role in a man’s chances of developing prostate cancer. A man whose father or brother had prostate cancer is twice as likely to develop the disease. The risk is further increased if the cancer was diagnosed in a family member at a younger age (less than 55 years old), or if it affected three or more family members.

In 2022, approximately 268,490 new cases were diagnosed in the U.S. and more than 34,500 men died because of this cancer.  In the VHA System over 15,000 new cases were diagnosed and there was a 14% metastatic on first diagnosis rate which is double the US general population.

Fact: If a man has one direct relative with prostate cancer, say a father or brother, his chances of getting it are two times higher than someone who doesn’t have a close family history. Two family members with prostate cancer hike the risk five-fold.

But not everyone with a family history of prostate cancer will get it themselves. If prostate cancer runs in your family, talk with your doctor about when to start regular PSA tests; your healthcare provider might be more aggressive about recommending follow-up testing.

It is recommended you consider looking into genomic testing resources and volunteer for advanced studies or testing.