New studies highlight need for equity in prostate cancer research and screening
This 1974 microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows changes in cells indicative of adenocarcinoma of the prostate. One study has uncovered some disparities in how racial and ethnic groups are screened for prostate cancer, while a second survey shows that Black men are responding better to a hormonal treatment combination than white men. (Dr. Edwin P. Ewing, Jr./CDC via AP)
Several North Carolina universities have recently published studies related to prostate cancer in different ethnic and racial groups.
New research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine shows that American Indian and Alaska Native men are far less likely to receive prostate cancer screenings than other groups. The study also shows a greater prostate cancer mortality rate for these two groups.
Associate professor Chris Gillette, the principal author of the study, notes this may happen because, without timely screenings, American Indian and Alaska Native men aren’t seeking care until their prostate cancer is more advanced. He says that more research is needed to determine the reasons for what he calls an “alarming” disparity in cancer screenings.
Meanwhile, a Duke University study shows that a drug combination for those with advanced prostate cancer is significantly more effective in Black men than white men.
The Duke Cancer Institute research shows that after being treated with the two hormonal therapies, there was a 14% mortality rate in Black participants, compared to 33% in white participants.
Dr. Daniel George, the study’s lead author, says the research “shows the importance of diversity in clinical trials.”
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