Scientists suggest that genetic mutations could explain the reason why Black men are at higher risk of developing prostate cancer compared to other ethnicities.
The findings of a recent study could lead to a test to justify those who are at greater risk of developing the disease, which could enhance survival rates. Prostate cancer is known as the most common cancer among British men and is attributed to roughly 52,300 new cases and about 12,000 deaths every year in the region.
Prostate Cancer Among Black Men
A new study suggests that genetic mutations could explain why Black men are more at risk of developing prostate cancer compared to other ethnicities. (not actual photo)
Furthermore, Black men are found to be twice as likely to be diagnosed and 2.5 times more likely to die from the disease compared to white men. The reasons for such a drastic difference are still unclear.
However, differing levels of a protein known as the androgen receptor are believed to be involved. Male hormones, such as testosterone, bind to it, sending a signal to cancel cells that tell them to carry on growing and dividing, as per The Guardian.
While previous studies have suggested that Black men have higher levels of androgen receptors, no one has had any real idea why, until now. A key problem has been that the genetic databases researchers use to hunt for sequences that could help to explain the phenomenon are largely based on DNA from white men.
In a statement, a senior lecturer at the University of Essex, Dr. Greg Brooke, said that there was not much information on the different frequencies of mutations across populations to explain why Black men are more at risk of developing prostate cancer.
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Dr. Antonio Marco, who is also from the University of Essex, developed an approach that searches for differences in the regulatory regions of genes. This is while taking recently gleaned information about differences in human populations into account.
The team used this tool to analyze DNA from more than 75,000 people from diverse populations around the world. They searched for regulatory regions that could explain why Black men produce higher levels of androgen receptors.
Higher Risk of the Disease
On the other hand, a urologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Dr. Abhinav Khanna, said that in the U.S., Black men are two times more likely to die from the disease. He said that while not all cases are fatal, it has been observed that Black men have a higher risk of losing their lives because of it, according to NBC News.
The latest study identified hundreds of mutations that differ across populations that could affect men's risk of prostate cancer. The discoveries could ultimately lead to a genetic test that could predict which subset of men are most likely to develop prostate cancer.
Data showed that African American men develop prostate cancer at a younger age and have more active or aggressive forms of the disease. On average, the diagnosis of prostate cancer in a Black man occurred three years earlier than white men of a similar age in the U.S.
Generally, prostate cancer screening is controversial and is a decision that is left between the patient and their physician. The American Urological Association recommends that screening for Black men should be when they are around the age of 40 years, which is earlier compared to other groups, said Healthline.
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