While prostate cancer can affect men of any racial or ethnic background, it poses a particular threat to Black men. In this article, medical oncologists practicing with Regional Cancer Care Associates, or RCCA, one of the nation’s largest networks of cancer specialists, share five statistics that quantify the extent of that threat and highlight an important step that men of African ancestry can take to protect their health.
1. Black men have a higher incidence of prostate cancer than men in other racial or ethnic groups. “In recent years, the average annual rate of new cases of prostate cancer in non-Hispanic Black males was 186.1 per 100,000. That is more than double the rate of 90.9 per 100,000 for Hispanic men and significantly higher than the rate of 110.7 cases per 100,000 for non-Hispanic White men,”1 says Bhavesh Balar, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices at RCCA’s Freehold and Holmdel, NJ offices.
As a result of that higher incidence, Black men have a 1-in-6 lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer, as compared with a 1-in-8 lifetime risk for White men,2 notes Dr. Balar.
2. Black men tend to develop prostate cancer at a younger age than White men. The median age at prostate cancer diagnosis for Black men is 63 years, compared to 66 years for White men,3 RCCA oncologists note. They add that this earlier age of onset underscores the importance of having regular check-ups with a primary care provider and of promptly consulting a physician about any symptoms that might be indications of prostate cancer, such as urinary difficulties.
3. Black men tend to have more aggressive prostate cancer than men from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Studies have shown that Black men have a greater likelihood than other men – anywhere from a 44% to a 75% increased chance – of their prostate cancer already having spread beyond the prostate at the time of diagnosis,”3 note RCCA’s medical oncologists. They explain that the reason for this greater rate of metastatic disease at diagnosis is not fully understood, but may involve factors ranging from genetics to health system access. In terms of the former, a 2023 paper analyzed findings from 10 genomics studies involving more than 80,000 men of African ancestry. Of that total, 19,378 men had prostate cancer and another 61,620 served as controls. The researchers found nine novel genetic variants associated with susceptibility for prostate cancer, with seven of those variants found only in men of African ancestry or substantially more often in those men relative to men of other backgrounds.4
4. Black men have the highest death rate from prostate cancer of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. “The average annual rate of prostate cancer deaths for non-Hispanic Black men was more than twice that of non-Hispanic White men from 2016 to 2020, the last period for which we have complete statistics,” explains Denis Fitzgerald, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who serves as RCCA Board Chairperson. The rate for Black men was 37.5 per 100,000 as opposed to 17.8 per 100,000 for White men,5 he adds, noting that prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among Black men, claiming an estimated 6,040 lives in the Black community in 2022.2“We can and must do more to reduce this death toll, from taking steps to facilitate early detection of disease to assuring access to effective therapies. This will require a comprehensive approach, encompassing everything from patient education to dismantling structural barriers in the nation’s healthcare system, but the human toll of this disparity in outcomes requires a determined, sustained effort,” says the cancer specialist, who practices at RCCA’s Little Silver, NJ
5. Despite having a much higher incidence of prostate cancer, Black men are screened for the disease at a somewhat lower rate than White men. A simple test that measures blood levels of a protein called prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, is the cornerstone of screening for prostate cancer,” explain RCCA oncologists. The cancer specialists add that a study examining PSA screening rates in men aged 40 to 74 years found that while 32.3% of non-Hispanic white men reported having had a routine PSA test in the past year, the rate among non-Hispanic Black men was 30.3%.6 While that difference is modest, the far greater incidence of prostate cancer in Black men, and the greater death rate from prostate cancer that they face, make increased screening for the disease in the Black community essential, RCCA cancer specialists say.
A simple, but potentially life-saving, step
Because Black race or ancestry is a recognized risk factor for prostate cancer, both the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Urological Association (AUA) recommend that Black people begin receiving screening by PSA test at an earlier age than men at average risk for the disease. The ACS recommends that Black men begin screening at age 45, while the AUA says that the screening should be offered to Black people between age 40 to 45.7,8
“I urge Black men to talk with their primary care providers about starting PSA testing in their early to mid-forties, and to continue receiving regular PSA screenings subsequently. In addition, it is important to promptly report any urinary difficulties or symptoms to your primary care provider. In most cases, those symptoms will not be indicative of cancer, but whatever their cause, they should be evaluated and addressed for the sake of your health and quality of life,” says Stephen G. Wallace, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices at RCCA’s Moorestown, NJ office.
Dr. Wallace adds, “It is important to note that an elevated PSA level does not necessarily mean that a person has prostate cancer. Several factors, including non-cancerous conditions such as a urinary tract infection, prostatitis, and benign prostatic hyperplasia, can cause the level to rise. So an abnormal PSA result is not cause to panic, but it is reason for vigilance, with the appropriate follow-up determined by a number of factors, such as the degree to which the PSA level is elevated, whether the patient has symptoms or concerning findings, and the patient’s age and medical history. When indicated, biopsy, imaging studies, and other evaluations can identify or rule out prostate cancer, but having that PSA screening is the vital first step.”
Dr. Fitzgerald, the RCCA Board Chairperson, notes, “In 2024, an estimated 299,000 men of all racial and ethnic backgrounds will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States, and roughly 35,250 men will die from the disease.1 Our ability to provide effective treatment for prostate cancer has increased dramatically in recent years. In fact, the 5-year relative survival rate for localized prostate cancer now exceeds 99%.1 Meanwhile, a host of new immunotherapies, targeted therapies, hormonal therapies, radiotherapy approaches, and other interventions are now available to treat metastatic prostate cancer, greatly increasing both life expectancy and quality of life for men with advanced disease.”
He continues, “It is critical that all patients with prostate cancer enjoy the benefits of these treatment advances, irrespective of their age, socioeconomic status, racial or ethnic background, sexual orientation, or any other factor. RCCA is committed to eliminating disparities and ensuring equity in health care. As with all cancers, early detection is key to achieving good outcomes, and that makes increased PSA screening, beginning at a relatively early age, central to the effort to reduce the unacceptably high prostate cancer mortality rate in Black men.”
+++++++
Drs. Balar, Fitzgerald, and Wallace are among 90+ cancer specialists who treat patients at more than 20 RCCA care centers throughout New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, and the Washington, DC, area. RCCA oncologists and hematologists see more than 26,000 new patients each year and provide care to more than 245,000 established patients, collaborating closely with their patients’ other physicians. They offer patients the latest in cutting-edge therapies, including immunotherapies and targeted therapy, as well as access to a wide range of clinical trials. In addition to serving patients who have solid tumors, blood-based cancers, and benign blood disorders such as anemia, RCCA care centers also provide infusion services to people with a number of non-oncologic conditions—including multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, asthma, iron-deficiency anemia, and rheumatoid arthritis—who take intravenously-administered medications.
To learn more about RCCA, call 844-928-0089 or visit RCCA.com.
References
For more information or to schedule an appointment,
call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the RCCA location nearest you.
The American Cancer Society will host its 43rd annual Diamond Ball Gala on November 24, 2024, at the Westmount Country Club in Woodland Park, NJ.
Like many people, Avishek Kumar, MD, scheduled some time away from the office this summer. However, his version of an “island get-away” was hardly the norm.
Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), one of the nation’s largest networks of oncology specialists, today announced that Hematology Oncology Specialists of Cape Cod (HOSCC) and its three medical oncologists/hematologists will join RCCA.
Regional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
