Home  Features Health & Beauty Men must focus on Prostate Cancer
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Men must focus on Prostate Cancer |
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Sunday, 01 June 2008 |
Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men in the United States. It’s an issue that all of us need to get educated about and take steps that lead to prevention.
Popular Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan, who endured a lengthy surgery for prostate cancer, incorporated the issue into a weekend-long celebration of the 12th anniversary of the Million Man March and the Holy Day of Atonement, upon his recovery. Thousands of participants joined Farrakhan for the kickoff celebration with the Louis Farrakhan Prostate Cancer Foundation “Walk for Life” Walk-A-Thon.
Prostate cancer is certainly an issue that deserves attention. According to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, one in four African American men will get prostate cancer. Moreover, black males are 2.5 times more likely to die from the disease than white males.
Prostate cancer risk factors include age, family history and race. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the older a man is, the greater his risk for getting prostate cancer. Family history also plays a role. A man who has had a family history of prostate cancer is two to three times more likely to develop the disease himself. Lastly, prostate cancer is more common among African American men than among white men. It is less common among Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American men.
Prostate cancer is a serious disease with serious implications. Encourage the men in your lives to get tested so that we can make strides towards improving the health of our African American men.
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