Prostate cancer and ethnicity – is there a link?
Black men are more likely to develop prostate cancer, especially those of Caribbean ancestry, with 1 in 4 being diagnosed with it every year. (Post and Courier)
“Overall, Black men are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with—and 2.1 times more likely to die from—prostate cancer than white men. Black men are also slightly more likely than white men to be diagnosed with advanced disease.”(ZeroCancer.org)
There is no clear reason for this link between prostate cancer and ethnicity.
Prostate Cancer Statistics in South Carolina
In South Carolina, black men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than white men (Post and Courier).
While the exact numbers vary across the state, rates of prostate cancer in black men in SC are 73% higher than their white counterparts. In Charleston and Columbia, the rate of prostate cancer is 50% higher for black men than white men, and in Greenville, it is 87% higher. The death rates vary a bit more. In Charleston, the rate is 62% higher. In Columbia, it is 90% higher, and in Greenville, it is 240% higher (Post and Courier).
What is the prostate?
The prostate is a small gland, part of the male reproductive system, that rests just below the bladder. As men age, the prostate grows in size which can lead to problems concerning urination, as the prostate begins to put pressure on the bladder. However, difficulty urinating is not indicative of prostate cancer.
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer for men in the United States, just after skin cancer. It is also one of the deadliest cancers, second only to lung cancer when it comes to the number of deaths of American men. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 8 men will have prostate cancer in their lifetime. Of those who develop the cancer, 1 in 41 will die from it (American Cancer Society). In 2022, there were 268,490 new cases of prostate cancers and 34,500 deaths caused by prostate cancer.
Why the high rate of prostate cancer?
Some speculate that the reason the rate of prostate cancer is so high is because there is an unwillingness to talk about it openly. Because it is such a fatal cancer, it is important to be regularly screened regardless of risk factors, once a man is about 40-50 years old.
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Some signs of prostate cancer are blood in urine, back pain, pelvis pain, hip pain, and unexplained weight loss (Prostate Cancer Research).
What are the risk factors for developing prostate cancer?
The risk factors for developing prostate cancer are being at an older age, having a family history of prostate cancer, lifestyle factors, and ethnicity.
Prostate cancer is more common in those over 50 and those whose father or brother has also had the cancer. Diet and obesity have been seen to have effects when it comes to developing this cancer.
How to reduce the risk of prostate cancer
Eating red foods such as tomatoes, drinking an average of three cups of coffee a day, and good fats such as olive oil and avocados can help prevent and lessen the severity of prostate cancer (MUSC).
Prostate screening
The screening process is two-fold. First, a doctor should do a physical examination of the prostate. Then, blood will be drawn to measure antigens in the blood specific to the prostate. However, if a man is uncomfortable with the physical examination, it is possible to only go through the blood test, since it is the more accurate test of the two.
Treatment for prostate cancer
Prostate cancer can be managed with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, and cryoablation
It is extremely important for it to be detected as early as possible (MUSC). The earlier the cancer is diagnosed, the better the rate of survival.
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