Ronald Chen, Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“There are racial disparities when it comes to prostate cancer, and research shows that Black men are more likely to be diagnosed.
Here are some key facts you need to know from the American Cancer Society:
- Black men have the highest overall cancer mortality rate in prostate cancer.
- Prostate cancer mortality in Black men is approximately 2 to 4 times that of men in other racial and ethnic groups.
- Black men in the US and the Caribbean have the highest documented prostate cancer incidence rates in the world.
- Prostate cancer develops more often in African American men and in Caribbean men of African ancestry than in men of other races. And when it does develop in these men, they tend to be younger.
As an expert in prostate cancer, I have seen this first-hand. I can’t stress enough the importance of early detection.
Because there is a higher risk, it’s recommended that Black men begin screening for prostate cancer at age 45. Early detection is critically important to maximize the chance that cancer can be successfully treated and cured.
Alongside early detection, other efforts such as community outreach and education, improving treatments through research and clinical trials, and reducing barriers to receiving cancer care, all contribute to our ability to reduce this health disparity.”
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