Groin Pain and Prostate Cancer Causes

Prostate cancer is like other cancers because cells within the prostate grow uncontrollably, creating small tumors. These tumors eventually cause groin pain as a symptom.

Prostate cancer typically is made up of many very small tumors within the prostate. If prostate cancer is detected early, it is often curable with standard treatments such as surgery or radiation that aim to remove or kill all cancerous cells in the prostate. Success rates of 90% or even better are typical. Unfortunately, there are few prostate cancer symptoms that are detectable in the early stages and can be hard to detect. Groin pain tends to occur only in the later stages when the cancer has become advanced.

If prostate cancer is not detected and treated early, the cells from these tumors can spread in a process called metastasis. In metastasis, prostate cancer cells are travel through the lymphatic system and the bloodstream to other parts of the body, where they lodge and grow secondary tumors. Once the cancer has metastasized, prostate cancer cure rates drop dramatically.

Risk factors of prostate cancer

Age is the single most important factor in the development of prostate cancer. Men under the age of 40 rarely develop detectable prostate cancer. The chance of having prostate cancer increases rapidly after age 50. In fact, about 80% of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65. It's not really understood why prostate cancer rates increase with age.

Race and ethnicity also seem to play a role. African-American men are 65% more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian-American men. Moreover, African-American men appear to get more severe forms of prostate cancer and are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer. Diet, genetics and, possibly, inadequate exposure to vitamin D (see below) may all play a role.

Geography Prostate cancer is most common in North America and northwestern Europe. It is less common in Asia, Central America and South America. While genetics may play a role, diet is suspected to be a major factor in these racial differences.

Family history is also a factor. About 25% of men with prostate cancer have a history of prostate cancer in their family.

Family history is more difficult to rate as a prostate cancer risk factor, however, because family members usually share other risk factors like race, diet and environmental elements.

The risk of prostate cancer doubles among men having a first-degree relative with the disease. Risk increases fivefold if there are two close relatives who have had prostate cancer, and with three or more close relatives, the risk for developing prostate cancer is close to 100%.

Diet and nutrition probably may play a role in the development of prostate cancer too. High intake of animal fats and polyunsaturated fats appear to be associated with higher rates of prostate cancer.

Obesity Recent studies have shown that men who are overweight or obese are at significantly higher risk for developing prostate cancer. Additionally, men who gain weight early in life seem to have a lower survival rate if they develop prostate cancer later on. In other words, the longer a man has been overweight, the more likely he is to have a more aggressive form of prostate cancer -- and shorter survival.

A deficiency of vitamin D and sunlight also seem to be factors. Vitamin D is known to protect the body against cancer. While vitamin D is contained in milk and some fish, the main source is from the skin, which forms vitamin D when it is exposed to sunlight. Studies have shown that people living in regions that get less sunlight have higher rates of prostate cancer.

Circulating Male Hormone Level The amount of the male hormone testosterone circulating in a man's body appears to have some influence as a risk factor for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer cell growth may be facilitated by the presence of testosterone. Therefore, one of the most common prostate cancer treatments is to suppress testosterone production. 

We have other articles on prostate cancer and groin pain, prostate cancer surgery and groin pain and avoiding groin pain through prostate cancer prevention.