There are many reasons for the development of prostate cancer. Research suggests that factors such as age, race, and geography have a significant say on whether or not a person will suffer from the disease. While the most common risk factor is age, with older men more likely to get prostate cancer, genetics seems to play an equally important role.

Genes and prostate cancer
After years of research, experts have concluded that inherited genes can cause the occurrence of prostate cancer. For some men, genetic factors may put them at higher risk of the condition. The risk is especially more if:

• You have more than one first-degree relative (father, son, or brother) who had prostate cancer. This includes relatives across three generations on your mother’s or father’s side of the family.
• You were diagnosed with prostate cancer when you were 55 years old or younger.
• You were diagnosed with prostate cancer, and other members of your family have been diagnosed with breast, ovarian, or pancreatic cancer.

Coming to the genes that trigger prostate cancer, inherited mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, which have been linked to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers, can also increase prostate cancer risk, especially in men.

Variants causing prostate cancer
According to researchers, five inherited genetic markers trigger the most aggressive and deadly forms of prostate cancer. Gene variants, called single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), were closely looked at in the study. Researchers analyzed DNA samples from 1,309 prostate cancer patients, looking for gene variants suspected of being involved in tumor progression.

The analysis of 156 candidate genes identified 22 SNPs linked to prostate cancer-specific death. In a separate analysis, the researchers examined these variants in stored DNA samples from close to 2,900 prostate cancer patients, who had been followed for an average of six and a half years. Five of the 22 SNPs emerged as being significantly associated with death from prostate cancer in this larger group of patients. The variants included:

1. LEPR
This is a leptin receptor gene involved in tissue growth, inflammation, the development of blood vessels and bone density. According to researchers, the bone density association is important as it could explain why prostate cancers often spread to the bone before spreading to other organs.

2. RNASEL
A gene associated with programmed cell death, inflammation, and the ability of cells to multiply rapidly.

3. Interleukin 4
This variant is associated with tumor growth, blood vessel development, and cancer cell migration.

4. Cytochrome 1
Cytochrome 1 is a gene involved in circadian rhythms, which could affect testosterone levels.

5. ARVCF
This is a gene that is involved in cell communication, which has previously been linked to cancer progression.

Of these, patients who carried four or all five of the SNPs had a 50% higher risk of having fatalities than patients who had two or fewer of the SNP variants.