Why Is Prostate Cancer So Common In Black Males

 

How often does a man die from prostate cancer?

BLACK MALES SHOULD HAVE MORE FREQUENT SCREENINGS SINCE THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP PROSTATE CANCER.

Other than when it does, cancer does not discriminate. Black men are more severely affected by prostate cancer than other American men, including those of all races. MSK specialists talk about this disparity, its potential causes, and remedies. There are four main things to think about:

PROSTATE CANCER AFFECTS AND KILLS BLACK MEN MORE FREQUENTLY. THE CAUSES ARE COMPLICATED AND NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR.

Black males have a 50% increased lifetime risk of prostate cancer and a twofold increased lifetime risk of dying from the condition. It's not simply being of African heritage, according to Vincent Laudone, Chief of Surgery at MSK at the Josie Robertson Surgery Center that might increase the incidence and worsen the outcome of prostate cancer. These include advanced age, a history of smoking in the family, a lack of exercise, and obesity.

According to him, social and environmental problems with diet, access to medical treatment, and exposure to the environment's toxins may be to blame for the higher risk. "Differences in the timing of the cancer diagnosis and the treatment of the males following diagnosis can also have an impact on disparities in outcomes."

Biological traits linked to more severe disease may also be present in Black men's prostate cancer. According to medical oncologist Andrew Laccetti, there is data that indicates this may be partially attributed to inherited genetic factors. We need to look into this idea further to understand more, but it's possible that the tumor biology of Black men's cancers differs, leading to a faster progression or more difficult treatment.

PROSTATE CANCER TESTING FOR BLACK MALES NEEDS TO BE DONE MORE FREQUENTLY.

Black men are more likely to be prevented by screening since they have a higher chance of getting prostate cancer and dying from it. The two primary prostate cancer screening exams are a digital rectal exam, in which a physician looks for inflammation and swelling, and a PSA test, which quantifies the presence of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood.

According to Dr. Laccetti, "Screening guidelines have indeed been based on studies that also included very few Black men, thus they may misrepresent the screening benefit for this group.”Overall, Black males may require earlier and much more frequent screening than the guidelines would suggest," the report said.

THERE SHOULD BE MORE BLACK MEN INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN RESEARCH STUDIES AND CLINICAL TRIALS.

Black males make up only 6.7% of patients in clinical trials that test novel medicines, despite having a higher chance of both contracting prostate cancer and dying from it.

According to Dr. Laccetti, "the main hurdle seems to be a lack of awareness — both of the trials themself and the potential benefits they bring." He is currently working with the nonprofit Prostate Cancer Health Education Network to expand the number of black men participating in these trials (PHEN).

It has become evident that a tailored strategy is required to pique people's interest in clinical trials, he claims. "Clinical Trial Learning Sessions, developed by PHEN, a webcast that describes how these trials operate. I am personally motivated to strive to close access gaps to clinical research that holds promise, not just for the disease itself.

Black men can take part in studies to advance awareness of the disease in addition to having access to novel prostate cancer treatments through clinical trials. In order to investigate the underlying causes of Black men's higher risk of developing prostate cancer, the National Cancer Institute & Prostate Cancer Foundation initiated a significant research initiative in 2018. RESPOND is the name of the five-year study (Research on Prostate Cancer in Men of African Ancestry: Defining the Roles of Genetics, Tumor Markers, and Social Stress). 10,000 Black men with prostate cancer will participate in the trial. To learn more and sign up to participate, get in touch with the study's directors.

TAGS: Cancer Prostate, Cancer, Urology