Physician and urology specialist Dr. Cletus Georges explores key prostate cancer risk factors identified in the United States.
Dr. Cletus Georges
With the list of prostate cancer risk factors being potentially extensive and wide-reaching, particularly in older patients, it’s vital that all men fully understand and appreciate the facts and figures, according to Florida-based physician and urology specialist Dr. Cletus Georges. Here, Dr. Georges provides professional insight into the matter and shares advice and further information surrounding prostate cancer in America.
“From age and a family history of the disease to lesser-known risk factors tied to lifestyle, for example, it’s essential that men understand prostate cancer and its most common causes,” suggests Dr. Georges. All men, he says, are at some risk for prostate cancer, particularly upon reaching their late 40s and into their 50s and beyond.
Statistics show that, during their lifetime, approximately 13 out of every 100 men in the United States will be diagnosed at some point with cancer of the prostate. “Of those diagnosed, 20 percent currently lose their life to the disease,” reveals Dr. Georges.
“As such,” he continues, “it’s important that we all fully understand and appreciate what we currently know about the risk factors associated with prostate cancer.”
According to Dr. Georges, the two primary risk factors for prostate cancer are a family history of the disease—with a father or brother having been diagnosed with prostate cancer more than doubles a man’s risk—and advancing age. “These, of course, cannot be changed,” he explains, “yet further, still significant factors, such as cigarette smoking and poor diet, absolutely can.”
Quitting smoking, the doctor suggests, is advisable in any instance, and the key to helping prevent against all manner of common cancers, including cancer of the prostate. Other prostate cancer risk factors are understood to include chemical exposure, poor diet, obesity, a history of sexually transmitted infections, and past prostate issues, such as inflammation of the gland, which forms part of the male reproductive system.
“60 percent of prostate cancer cases occur in men aged over 65, and while rare in those under 40, it’s important even for younger men to understand the risks,” says Dr. Georges. “Chances of developing prostate cancer, for example, rise significantly in the late 40s and early 50s,” he adds.
“Furthermore, if a man has a family history of prostate cancer, as outlined above, it’s essential that he seeks regular cancer screening,” suggests the expert, “particularly as he gets older.”
“Regardless of risk factors, however,” Dr. Georges adds, wrapping up, “if a patient has any cause for concern surrounding prostate cancer, it’s vital that they seek the advice of a urologist or their primary care provider as soon as possible, as early diagnosis is often pivotal to beating the disease.”
Dr. Cletus Georges attended Weill Cornell University Medical College in New York City, graduating in 1991 and completing his residency in urology at Chicago’s Northwestern University McGaw Medical Center in 1997. Shortly after that, urology specialist Dr. Georges began his practice in Sebring, Florida, before relocating to the Orlando area where he remains settled today.
