Genetic epidemiology of prostate cancer

A family history of prostate cancer is a consistent risk factor for prostat e cancer, and can also be used to predict the presence of prostate cancer a mong asymptomatic men who undergo PSA screening. Approximately 5% of cases of prostate cancer have a familial component. The genetic epidemiology of p rostate cancer is complex, and genes on chromosome 1 and X chromosome contr ibute to familial aggregation. Neither of these prostate cancer susceptibil ity genes have been identified, but are the subject of an active search. He reditary prostate cancer resembles non-hereditary prostate cancer in terms of age of onset, pathologic appearance and grade. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.