Due to stigmas such as being treated as “experimental guinea pigs,” few African-American patients are willing to look at clinical trials as an option for care. Dr. Adam Metwalli, Chief of the Division of Urology, Department of Surgery at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. says that currently less than five percent of cancer patients overall participate in clinical trials, primarily because they lack awareness. In August, Advancing Cancer Treatment (ACT) launched an effort, which seeks to change this disparaging statistic. ACT is raising awareness among newly-diagnosed African American cancer patients that clinical trials may be the first-line option, and not the last resort. ACT is a philanthropic initiative that supports patients’ access to the best in modern cancer treatments. With ACT Leadership Awards, the organization recognizes doctors and other medical professionals who help patients access the best treatment options in modern cancer care through … [Read more...] about Campaign Launched To Encourage African Americans To Participate In Clinical Trials
African american cancer support groups
Aretha Franklin public viewings at Detroit African-American history museum start today
Lamon said he didn't know as much about the singer as his mother, but he knew how important she was to his family.The music icon was transported to the museum in a vintage white LaSalle, passing by hundreds of mourning fans, and more than 200 of them slept outside overnight in order to pay their final respects to her.Paula Marie Seniors, associate professor of Africana Studies at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, said the setting for public viewings of the superstar entertainer couldn't be more fitting.Franklin, who died earlier this month at 76 after a battle with cancer, is wearing the vibrant color to indicate her honorary membership in the predominantly African American sorority Delta Sigma Theta. The associate professor of Africana studies at Virginia Tech says Franklin is "being honoured nearly like a queen at one of the most important black museums in the United States".The Queen of Soul was "a singer of the universe", said Seniors, she was also "so … [Read more...] about Aretha Franklin public viewings at Detroit African-American history museum start today
African American men hardest hit by prostate cancer
September is dedicated to raising awareness about the disease NASHVILLE – One in nine American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death and the most commonly diagnosed. In 2018, nearly 165,000 new cases of prostate cancer are expected in the United States with nearly 3,000 of those in Tennessee. That is forecasted to result in nearly 30,000 lives lost to prostate cancer across the country and 550 across the state. Among those statistics, one in six African American men will develop the disease in his lifetime, which is almost two times the rate of white males. African American men are also 2.3 times as likely to die from the disease. “Finding prostate cancer at an early stage gives patients the best hope for effective treatment and to live cancer free,” Mike Leventhal, executive director of Tennessee Men’s Health Network. “That is why it is crucial for Tennesseans to know about and understand … [Read more...] about African American men hardest hit by prostate cancer
PRESS ROOM: NIH and Prostate Cancer Foundation Launch Large Study on Aggressive Prostate Cancer in African‐American Men
The $26.5 million study is called RESPOND, or Research on Prostate Cancer in Men of African Ancestry: Defining the Roles of Genetics, Tumor Markers, and Social Stress. The study will examine aggressive prostate cancer in African-American men. (Pexels.com) The largest coordinated research effort to study biological and non-biological factors associated with aggressive prostate cancer in African-American men has begun. The $26.5 million study is called RESPOND, or Research on Prostate Cancer in Men of African Ancestry: Defining the Roles of Genetics, Tumor Markers, and Social Stress. It will investigate environmental and genetic factors related to aggressiveness of prostate cancer in African-American men to better understand why they disproportionally experience aggressive disease—that is, disease that grows and spreads quickly—compared with men of other racial and ethnic groups. RESPOND is supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute on … [Read more...] about PRESS ROOM: NIH and Prostate Cancer Foundation Launch Large Study on Aggressive Prostate Cancer in African‐American Men
Disparities in prostate cancer in African American men: What primary care physicians can do
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting American men. In 2010, an estimated 217,730 men were diagnosed with it and 32,050 died of it.1 African American men are disproportionately affected, with a prostate cancer incidence two-thirds higher than whites and a mortality rate twice as high.1 Owing to such disparities, the life expectancy of African Americans is several years shorter than that of non-Hispanic whites.2 For the primary care provider, who is often the first access point for health care in the United States, it is important to understand what mechanisms may underlie these differences and what can be done to narrow the gap.3 WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF THESE DIFFERENCES? Many studies have looked into the causes of the higher incidence of prostate cancer in African-American men and their higher mortality rate from it. The disparity may be due to a variety of factors, some socioeconomic and some biologic. Poorer access to care, or lower-quality care? A study of US servicemen … [Read more...] about Disparities in prostate cancer in African American men: What primary care physicians can do