What Black Men Should Know About Prostate Cancer
Black men more likely to develop and die from the disease.
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Get the Facts - As President Obama recently proclaimed September 2012 National Prostate Awareness Month, BET.com takes a closer look at the disease, which Black men are 60 percent more likely to develop and twice as likely to die from than any other racial or ethnic group. —Britt Middleton (Photo: Essdras M Suarez/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Photo By Essdras M Suarez/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
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What Is Prostate Cancer? - Prostate cancer develops inside a man's prostate, a small, walnut-shaped gland located in front of the rectum and beneath the bladder that produces part of the fluids that compose semen. It is the most common cancer in men. (Source: The National Cancer Institute) (Photo: Getty Images)
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More About the Prostate Gland - The prostate wraps around a tube (the urethra) that carries urine from the bladder out through the tip of the penis. As men get older, they have a greater risk of developing an enlarged prostate, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and prostate cancer. (Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) (Photo: DEPT. OF CLINICAL RADIOLOGY; SAL/Getty Images)
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How Does Prostate Cancer Affect African-American Men Differently? - In addition to having higher incidence and death rates, research suggests prostate cancer develops more rapidly in Black men, leading to a greater risk of more aggressive disease at an early age. (Source: Journal of the National Cancer Institute) (Photo: Andersen Ross/ Getty Images)
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Warning Signs and Symptoms - Some men may experience urinary symptoms and discomfort, pelvic pain, blood in the urine, painful ejaculation, weight loss, lack of appetite and bone pain, but some experience no early symptoms. (Source: Prostate Health Education Network) (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Photo By Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
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Who Should Be Tested? - The Prostate Health Education Network recommends a first-time test for African-Americans and other high-risk men at age 40, with follow-up testing on an individual basis. (Photo: Siri Stafford/Getty Images)
Photo By Siri Stafford/Getty Images
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How Is Prostate Cancer Detected? - The most common method of detection is through a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which measures the level of PSA in a man’s blood, or a digital rectal exam (DRE). A doctor may also perform a transrectal ultrasound or biopsy, where a small tissue sample is removed from the prostate and examined under microscope to see if there are cancerous cells. (Photo: Jems Stems/ Getty Images)
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Risk Factors - Research suggests that aging, a family history of prostate cancer and a person's race can increase the risk of developing prostate cancer. While there is no clear preventative solution, medical experts say that by not smoking, maintaining a healthy diet and by exercising can decrease the risk of developing prostate and other cancers. (Photo: The Plain Dealer /Landov)
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Treatment Options - Once diagnosed, treatment options for prostate cancer can include surgery to remove the prostate completely, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy or immunotherapy or biologic treatment -- treatment to boost or restore the ability of the immune system to fight cancer. Alternative medicine, including meditation, yoga and dietary supplements such as vitamins and herbs, have also been used in addition to standard treatment options. (Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) (Photo: dpa/Landov)