As much as we like to think there is a level playing field when it comes to health, there are disparities in prostate cancer based on your genetic make-up.
One known fact is that African-American men have higher incidences and more aggressive forms of prostate cancer than Caucasian men. Men who have the BRCA gene have more aggressive forms of prostate cancer, and it tends to develop early.
Read More Another disparity is one that should never be an issue, and that is access to care. Part of this is financial, and due to not having the proper resources or ability to see a caring or knowledgeable doctor. Yet another part of the access to care issue is that men don't typically like to talk about cancer. But if they become aware that it needs to be a concern, just like heart disease or high blood pressure, then more cancers can be found earlier. Spreading awareness will help men learn what to look for, and the importance of getting screened and seeing a doctor regularly.
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Dr. Edwin Posadas is Director of the Translational Oncology Program, and Medical Director of the Urologic Oncology Program at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Read More