Racial Variation in Cancer Care: A Case Study of Prostate Cancer

Abstract

There is convincing documentation of racial variation in the incidence and mortality of many cancers, particularly cancers of the breast, colon, lung, and prostate.[1,2] Racial differences are also reported in the clinical management of these cancers.[3,4] This phenomenon, that is, racial variations in the occurrence and treatment of disease, is not unique to cancers. Racial differences are found in incidence, patterns of care, and patient outcomes for many other diseases and conditions, e.g., cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.[5]–[8] Efforts to further document its existence would seem to be unwarranted.