I’m 29 Years Old And My Prostate Is Enlarged. Is It Common For Men Under 30 To Have Prostate Cancer?

It is very uncommon for men 30 and under to have prostate cancer. In fact it is uncommon for men who are 40 to have the disease. It is believed if a man lives long enough he will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer isn’t necessarily a death sentence; most men have prostate cancer, but die of something totally unrelated to it. Most prostate cancers are the non-aggressive type; however, the aggressive form of prostate cancer can spread very quickly and a man might only live from 1 to 3 years with it.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia

Most men, 40 and under, who notice something wrong with their prostates have benign prostatic hyperplasia. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is an enlarged prostate; it is not cancerous. In this condition the prostate grows more prostatic tissue and can make it difficult for a man to pass urine from his bladder. The prostate gland is located just under the bladder and is surrounds the urethra. When the prostate gland enlarges, it presses on the urethra, and can totally stop the flow of urine. You may have a slightly elevated PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test with a benign prostatic hypertrophy. You should get this checked by your physician, because it can be very painful. An enlarged prostate doesn’t necessarily require any treatment unless it is causing pain or difficulty passing urine.

Metastasis

Prostate cancer can be contained within the prostate, but it can spread to nearby tissues and it can metastasize to the lymphatic system, and other areas, including the bones. In the past, men didn’t always find out they had prostate cancer until it was well already spreading past the prostate gland. With the lack of symptoms many men didn’t go to the doctor to be checked, like they do now. Nowadays, preventive medicine is commonplace, but back a few decades ago; it was not thought of as necessary. It is very important to be checked for prostate cancer by the time you are 50 and earlier, if you have a family history of the disease.

Age and heredity

Younger men, in their 40s, are at risk for prostate cancer if they have a strong family history of the disease. If you have 3 or more men in your family with prostate cancer, you are at risk and should be checked earlier than age 50. If you are nearing the age of 40, and your doctor has never done a prostate exam on you, you might want to mention to him/her that you have a family history of prostate cancer in your family. More doctors are beginning to screen for prostate cancer of their male patients at an earlier age. Some men are routinely screened for prostate cancer by age 40.

Genetic factors

No one really knows what causes prostate cancer, but it is believed that genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors are linked to the disease. It is believed that testosterone is linked to prostate cancer. Testosterone doesn’t cause prostate cancer, but it acts like a fuel to help the cancer cells grow. Scientists are studying the genes that are thought to be linked to prostate cancer. The names of the genes are HPC1 and HPC2 and HPCX. It is believed that genetic flaws and mutations might have some part in what causes prostate cancer. It is also believed that the genetic flaws prevent the formation of certain enzymes that normally would fight off cancer causing agents. The cause of cancer is unknown; thus, it remains a mystery as to just why men get prostate cancer. If you look hard enough, you can find theories that try to explain it.

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