HEALTHY REASONING: Prostate Cancer Is A Leading Killer Of Black Men

By Allan Bucka Jones
Pride Health Columnist

Despite many efforts, prostate cancer remains one of the leading killers of men, and more so in Black men.  It is time for a more focused effort by authorities directed to the African Canadian / Black community. Also it is time for men to take responsibility and get screened for this devastating disease.

According to Rocco Rossi, CEO & President of Prostate Cancer Canada, a national advocacy group for prostate cancer affairs, one in eight men in Canada are affected by prostate cancer.

For all men 45 years old and more, screening for prostate cancer is vital because once detected, 90% of prostate cancer cases are treatable. The screening process, which includes a prostate gland examination and a blood test, should be part of a man’s annual check-up.

The prostate gland, normally the size of a walnut, is a part of the male reproductive system. Its function is to add nutrients and fluid to sperm. It is located below the bladder, in front of the rectum, and surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen, through the middle of the penis.

The growth of cells in the prostate is stimulated by testosterone, a male hormone. Most of the body’s testosterone is produced by the testicles, with a small percentage produced by adrenal glands, which are small glands found just above the two kidneys.

The prostate gland in men, transition from a quiet non-growing gland, to a problematic growing gland around age 50. An enlarged prostate can cause a man to have frequent and urgent need to urinate. This enlarged prostate is referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A benign description means BPH is not cancerous. A man with BPH will not necessarily develop prostate cancer.

A risk factor is anything that affects your chance of getting a disease.  For prostate cancer some of the risk factors are: AGE – Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 40, but the chance of having prostate cancer rises rapidly after age 50. About 6 in 10 cases of prostate cancer are found in men over the age of 65. RACE / ETHNICITY – Black men are at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.  Black men are also more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, and are more than twice as likely to die of prostate cancer as white men.  FAMILY HISTORY:  Prostate cancer seems to run in some families. DIET: A heart healthy low fat diet is recommended to minimize developing prostate cancer. OBESITY: Studies have found that being overweight is linked with a higher risk of getting prostate cancer.

If your doctor, based on test results, suspect prostate cancer, a biopsy is done. If cancer is detected, many options are available for treatment including removal of the prostate gland. One approach is no treatment at all and the cancer is carefully monitored.

Sometimes, based on the lateness in detecting the cancer, or the aggressiveness of the cancer, the cancerous cells can leave the prostate gland and enter other sections of the body. This cancer could now be a metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (MCRPC), that is,  a prostate cancer that is resistant to medical (e.g. hormonal) or surgical treatments that lower testosterone, and has spread to other parts of the body, despite approaches to deprive the tumor of male hormones.

There is hope for men in a situation like this, due to a fairly new usage approved for ZYTIGA® in men with prostate cancer which has spread over the body. This product is offering patients delayed disease progression, and can improve quality and quantity of life. Ask your doctor about ZYTIGA®. The doctor will advise if the product is a good option for you. The product is available on the Ontario Drug Benefit Formulary, which means if you qualify for coverage there is no charge for the drug.

Prostate cancer is a man’s direct problem, but it is also a family problem, because the man with the cancer is someone’s father, grandfather, husband, uncle, brother or son. Seeing that many men are afraid of going to the doctor, they need the encouragement of the women in their lives, or other family members. Please take the opportunity to remind our men to go see their doctor at least once a year. Prostate cancer is a serious matter.

And men 45 and over, please make an appointment to do your prostate screening test as soon as possible. 

Allan Bucka Jones is a Health Promoter and Broadcaster. He can be heard on “Allan Bucka Jones LIVE”, Sundays from 3 to 5pm on CHRY 105.5 FM, www.chry.fm option RDO.to , Rogers Digital Cable 945, Bell Fibe 973 or mobile app TuneIn Radio. You can contact Allan Bucka Jones at ajones@jjmedical.ca.