18 Sep U of M Prostate Study

Yesterday there was an article release by the University of Minnesota in regards to the aggressiveness of prostate cancer in African American men versus Caucasion men. For a long time it has always been taught and reports that prostate cancer in African Americans tends to be more aggressive then it does in Caucasion males.
A lot of this information has been based on retrospective trials of collected data. The problem with this type of a study, retrospective, is that there is no way to control the test subjects and to determine other such factors as in disease stage at time of diagnosis, routine screening, Routine follow up, post care follow up, treatment selection, age at diagnosis and other such issues.
In school we have been educated to think of prostate cancer in terms of being more aggressive in African American males than it is in Causcasion males. I have always questioned this thought and rationale. To me it has always made more sense that the tumor, or prostate cancer itself is not more aggressive, it just happens to be that the time of diagnosis is a disparity between African American males and Causcasion males.
This study performed at the University of Minnesota by Dr. Akhouri Sinha, a professor of genetics and cell biology, that is a lead research scientist at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN has begun to show that my thought process is correct.
What does seem to be the reason as to why prostate cancer tends to be more aggressive in Afriacan American males is due to screening, medical care, follow up, treatment options available, and education. Due to the racial and socio-econimic disparity that occurs in America there is a different as to when Causcasion males are being diagnosed with prostate cancer versus when African American males are diagnosed.
I personally feel that we are beginning to start the education process on the importance of prostate screening and detecting this disease sooner rather then later. The medical community has done a good job in helping to support Breast Cancer Awareness, but now we need to begin to start the same kind of a push with Prostate Cacner Awareness for males as well in our country. We also need to begin to make sure that we get the educational materials, information, and the message as to why it is so important for routine screening and early detection. We need to make sure that we cross all gender, racial, and socio-economic lines to make sure that everyone is educated as to the importance in order to get better survival rates, cures, and outcomes.
The links above will take you to the full article from the Science Daily. Or you can click on this link to take you there as well. Science Daily Article.
 As always, if you have any more questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me personally at: CANCERGEEK@GMAIL.COM
~CancerGeek