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,” said Mike Leventhal, executive director of Tennessee Men’s Health Network. “That is why it is crucial for Tennesseans to know about and understand the disease, especially African American men who are being affected in larger numbers. We also know that more research needs to be done to find more effective and advanced treatments for these men.”
If the disease progresses to advanced stage, also known as metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the prognosis becomes poor with a median survival rate of around three years.
Patient outcomes are positively impacted by improved awareness of the disease, an understanding of increased risks for developing it, and access to recent medical advances that can extend the time a patient lives without his cancer spreading.
Tennesseans are encouraged to talk to their physicians regarding their potential risks to developing prostate cancer as well as when screening and related tests for early detection are needed.
For individuals diagnosed with prostate cancer, shared decision making between the patient, his family, other caregivers, and his physician is important to support the right care, and patients should talk to their doctor to learn more about the disease, treatment options and to find support groups and services in their communities or online.