Prostate cancer in black and white Americans.

Abstract

The prostate cancer incidence and mortality of black Americans is among the highest in the world. The reasons have not been adequately explained. Similar disparities have been noted for men of sub-Saharan origin living in Brazil and the Caribbean. Avenues of investigation have assessed racial and ethnic differences in diet as well as possible differences in the prevalence of genetics (both polymorphisms and mutations). There are studies to suggest that there are no racial differences in outcome when there is equal treatment. Several studies show that there are racial differences in patterns of care in the US and it has been hypothesized that this contributes to some of the racial disparity in survival after diagnosis.