SurvivorNet’s powerful new film series hosted by NFL legend Emmitt Smith, “Men Beating the Odds,” is bringing much-need attention to the often-overlooked stories of men living with advanced prostate cancer and their incredible resilience.
Smith, a former professional American football player who played primarily for the Dallas Cowboys from 1990 to 2002, tells SurvivorNet, “When my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer I knew I had to step up and do what I could to help him and other men at risk.
Read MoreIf You Have a Family History of Prostate Cancer, Get Screened Early
After years of decline, cases were found to have increased by 3% annually since 2014, with advanced-stage diagnoses rising even faster. Meanwhile, mortality rates—once falling by 3 to 4% annually—have slowed to just a 0.6% decrease per year over the past decade.
Additionally, alarming racial disparities persist: Black men face twice the prostate cancer death rate of White men, while Native American men have higher mortality despite lower incidence.
The ACS report highlights the importance of men having conversations about prostate cancer screening by age 50, and for those at higher risk, such as Black men and anyone with a family history of the disease, to start screening earlier at age 45.
Content independently created by SurvivorNet with support from Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp.
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