Racial disparities in prostate cancer among black men: epidemiology and outcomes

Prostate cancer has the widest racial disparities of any cancer, and these disparities appear at every stage of the cancer continuum. This review focuses on the disparities in prostate cancer between Black and White men, spanning from prevention and screening to clinical outcomes. We conduct an expansive review of the literature on racial disparities in prostate cancer, interpret the findings, and discuss areas of unmet need in research. We provide an overview of epidemiologic concepts necessary to understanding the current state of prostate cancer disparities, discuss the complexities of studying race, and review potential drivers of disparities in incidence and mortality. We argue that the cause of this disparity is multifactorial and due to a combination of social and environmental factors. The path forward needs to focus on enrolling and retaining Black men in prostate cancer clinical trials and observational studies and identifying potential interventions to improve prevention and clinical outcomes in Black men.

Racial Disparities in Prostate Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Persist Despite Community Affluence

Purpose

The aims of this investigation were to evaluate racial disparities in prostate cancer among men living in a relatively affluent community with access to high quality healthcare.

Patients and Methods

This retrospective study included 1363 cases with prostate cancer entered into the Stony Brook Cancer Center registry between 2010 and 2020. Demographic and other factors, including the Distressed Community Index (DCI) which provides an indicator of socioeconomic status by zip code, were analyzed as predictors of later stage disease using logistic regression.

Results

Approximately 60% of cases resided in a "prosperous" zip code (DCI<20) with median (range) DCI of 16.3 (1.1, 61.8). Black men were diagnosed with later stage disease at a higher rate (p=0.03) and were more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age (p<0.01) compared to White men. However, the distribution of cancer stage stratified by DCI and race did not differ among groups. Black men were 3 times more likely to have Medicaid and a history of diabetes, as well as 33% more likely to have hypertension than White men. Black race (OR=2.08, (1.26, 3.42)), older age (OR=2.56 (1.67, 3.90)) and current smoking (OR=1.61 (1.07, 2.42)) were significant contributors of later stage cancer.

Conclusion

Black men residing in a relatively affluent suburb were diagnosed at younger ages, later stages, and were more likely to have additional comorbidities compared to White men. This study highlights the complexity of the environmental, societal, and biological contributors to racial disparities that warrants further investigation into the underlying causes for the excess burden on Black men.