Who is most at risk from prostate cancer?
Raising awareness in the African-Caribbean community
Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in UK men and each year, it takes 10,000 lives. Yet a recent study revealed that 90 per cent of adults don’t know what the prostate gland does and less than 50 per cent know where it is.
At The Prostate Cancer Charity, we are concerned for those men who are at most risk. Extensive research by the London NHS Trust, Bart’s Urology Department and Newham Healthcare NHS trust has shown that African-Caribbean men are three times more likely to develop prostate cancer than any other racial group. The disease also kills more black men than any other ethnic group and they often respond less well to treatment in various stages of the disease.
Despite such famous people as Nelson Mandela, James Brown and Colin Powell having been treated for the disease, there is still a disturbing lack of prostate cancer awareness in the African-Caribbean community.
The Prostate Cancer Charity has responded to these alarming findings by setting up an African-Caribbean Awareness Project. We work with community groups to raise the profile of prostate cancer and persuade more black men to seek medical advice as soon as they suspect something might be wrong. If the disease is caught at an early stage there is a very good chance that it can be treated successfully.
For any further information on our African-Caribbean Awareness Project, please call Ali Orhan on 020 8222 7622.
"It is most disturbing that many African-Caribbean men stay silent, maybe through fear or embarrassment and don’t seek medical help soon enough. There is a profound lack of awareness of prostate cancer within the black community."
Trevor Phillips, Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality
Prostate cancer – the telltale signs
What to watch out for:
- Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
- Difficulty passing urine
- A weak flow of urine
- Pain when passing urine
- Pain when ejaculating
- Pain in the testicles
Having one or several of these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have prostate cancer. However, if you are over 40 and are experiencing any of them, you should consider visiting your GP or calling The Prostate Cancer Charity Helpline on 0800 074 8383.
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