Jan 13, 2025 Story by: Editor
Black men in England face a significantly higher likelihood of being diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer compared to their white counterparts, according to an analysis by the National Prostate Cancer Audit. Moreover, they are less likely to receive life-saving treatments approved for use in the NHS.
The analysis revealed that black men were diagnosed with stage three or four prostate cancer at a rate of 440 per 100,000, 1.5 times higher than the 295 per 100,000 rate for white men. Additionally, black men in their 60s with later-stage diagnoses were found to be 14% less likely to receive life-saving treatments endorsed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Research Findings
The study reviewed new prostate cancer diagnoses in England from January 2021 to December 2023, utilizing data from the Rapid Cancer Registration and National Cancer Registration datasets. Prostate cancer remains the most prevalent cancer among British men, with approximately 52,300 new cases and 12,000 fatalities annually. Black men are disproportionately affected, being twice as likely to develop the disease and 2.5 times more likely to succumb to it than their white counterparts.
Prostate Cancer UK has called for an urgent update to government guidelines, which currently place the responsibility on individuals to assess their risk and request a PSA blood test. The charity argues this approach fails to adequately account for black men’s higher susceptibility to prostate cancer.
Expert Opinions
Keith Morgan, Associate Director of Black Health Equity at Prostate Cancer UK, criticized the outdated guidelines:
“Every man has the right to the best care and treatment for prostate cancer. We know that black men are at a higher risk of getting prostate cancer, but this new data from the National Prostate Cancer Audit shows that if you’re black, the odds are currently stacked even higher against you,” he said.
Morgan emphasized that current guidelines discourage GPs from initiating discussions about PSA testing with at-risk men, leaving individuals to identify their risk and start the conversation themselves.
“One big issue is that prostate cancer guidelines for GPs are hugely outdated,” he added.
Prof. Frank Chinegwundoh, a consultant urologist at Barts Health NHS Trust, echoed these concerns:
“It’s about time that we had this data from the NPCA – there’s a desperate need to better understand why black men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer in the UK and take actions to save lives.
“The disparity that we can see from this data is shocking and deeply disappointing. This is a consequence of current guidelines; these guidelines treat all men the same, regardless of the fact that some individuals – black men in this instance – have higher-than-average risk of prostate cancer.”
Prof. Chinegwundoh added that many men mistakenly believe routine tests will identify prostate cancer risks, stating:
“Some men don’t come forward to their GPs because they think they’ll be invited as part of routine tests – when this simply isn’t true. The sooner the guidelines change, the sooner we can start saving more lives.”
Official Responses
An NHS spokesperson highlighted the progress made in raising awareness:
“More black men than ever before are having prostate cancer diagnosed at an early stage thanks to awareness campaigns and the work NHS England has been doing in collaboration with Prostate Cancer UK. We are working with Cancer Alliances to ensure that everyone has equal access to treatment at whatever stage their cancer is diagnosed.”
The UK National Screening Committee currently does not recommend PSA testing for asymptomatic individuals, citing insufficient evidence of benefits outweighing potential harms. However, they urge men with a family history or concerning symptoms to consult their GP.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson also emphasized the need for improvement:
“Prostate cancer patients are waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment, and we are determined to change that.
“The UK national screening committee is reviewing the evidence for prostate cancer screening programmes, including targeted approaches for men at higher risk. Given Black men are twice as likely to get prostate cancer, much more needs to be done to speed up diagnosis and treatment.”
By addressing these systemic disparities, experts and advocates hope to reduce the disproportionate impact of prostate cancer on black men in the UK. Source: The Guardian
