Men warned over ignorance of inherited prostate cancer risk

 Ignorance that prostate cancer can run in families is putting men in danger, a charity has warned.

The disease is one of the most inheritable cancers, with genetics accounting for around half of a man’s risk.

One in eight men will get prostate cancer – the most common cancer among men, affecting 47,000 each year and killing 11,000.

Having a father or brother who has had prostate cancer increases a man’s risk by two-and-a-half times compared with a man with no family history, while having a grandfather or uncle with the disease increases the risk by one-and-a-half times.

A survey of more than 4,000 adults by Prostate Cancer UK found a third were unaware that a family history significantly increased the risk. It said those whose relations had had the cancer should alert their GPS, as they should be monitored more closely. Men over 50 have the right to a PSA blood test – the first step to diagnosing the disease.