Encouraging Prostate Cancer Screening For Black Men
- Weatherman Al Roker, 69, and former NFL star Shannon Sharpe, 55, are among several celebrities raising awareness for prostate cancer and urging early detection, especially for Black men who are considered at “higher risk.”
- Prostate cancer screening guidelines released this year now urge Black men to begin screening at 40 years old, which is 10 to 15 years earlier than men at average risk. The National Cancer Institute says among Black men, “death rates are higher” or “more than twice” that of white men, sparking increased efforts to boost early detection for this demographic.
- Roker was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in 2020. He underwent a radical prostatectomy, which removes the entire prostate, along with some tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles that release fluid into the semen. Side effects may follow this procedure, which may include erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.
- Sharpe was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2016. He underwent brachytherapy (also called radioactive seed implementation) for treatment. This treatment is a specialized radiation treatment where doctors place radioactive “seeds” or sources close to or inside the tumor. This allows your doctor to precisely target cancer cells while leaving the surrounding healthy tissue undamaged.
- SurvivorNet experts support standard screening methods such as a digital rectal exam and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This test measures the level of PSA in the blood, and higher levels can indicate cancer.
- SurvivorNet holds an annual Close the Gap conference to educate, spread awareness, and ultimately work to eliminate racial disparities in cancer care. Our efforts aim to ensure everyone has access to education about cancer, screening recommendations, treatment options, clinical trials, and more.
Beloved weatherman Al Roker, 69, and football Hall of Famer and commentator Shannon Sharpe, 55, both have a deep and personal relationship with prostate cancer, and they’re not alone.
The National Cancer Institute says the disease is considered “fairly common” – especially among men – and when compared to other cancers, with nearly 290,000 new cases last year. Despite the “excellent survival rates” for prostate cancer overall, among Black men, “death rates are higher,” causing increased efforts to boost early detection for this demographic. Now, new guidelines targeted toward Black men push for earlier cancer screenings.
Read MoreAdding to these ongoing efforts are new cancer screening guidelines released this year by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Symposium. Since Black men tend to be diagnosed with prostate cancer at younger ages compared to other racial groups, the new guidelines state Black men should consider screening at 40 years old since this demographic group is regarded as a “high-risk population.”
“Few guidelines have outlined specific recommendations for prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based prostate cancer screening among Black men,” researchers for PCF said in its report published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
“Discussions with health care providers about baseline PSA testing should begin by the time Black men are in their early 40s, and modeling data suggests prostate cancer develops 3-9 years earlier in Black men compared to their peers. Lowering the age for baseline PSA testing from 50-55 years to 40-45, followed by regular screening intervals until the age of 70, would reduce prostate cancer mortality in Black men,” the PCF said in its report.
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SurvivorNet holds an annual Close the Gap conference to educate, spread awareness, and ultimately work to eliminate racial disparities in cancer care. Our efforts aim to ensure everyone has access to education about cancer, screening recommendations, treatment options, clinical trials, and more.
Expert Resources on Prostate Cancer Screening
Screening for Prostate Cancer
When you do get screened for prostate cancer, your doctor will run a few tests.
One of the tests is the PSA test, a simple blood test that screens for prostate cancer. It looks for more significant amounts of protein-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. An elevated PSA test does not always mean you have prostate cancer. It could also reflect that your prostate is enlarged, which is common, or it could signal an infection or inflammation.
Your doctor may also conduct a digital rectal exam (DRE) to check your prostate for lumps.
Depending on the results of these tests, imaging scans and a biopsy may be ordered.
WATCH: How Gleason Grade Determines Treatment
After tests are conducted, your doctor analyzes the results to give you a Gleason Score. This score ranges from 6 to 10. The higher the score, the more aggressive the cancer.
This score, along with your other test results, helps doctors determine if your cancer is “low risk,” “intermediate risk,” or “high risk.”
Why Prostate Cancer Is Personal for Roker and Sharpe?
Roker was diagnosed with an aggressive type of prostate cancer. He shared his diagnosis publicly on the “Today Show” in March 2020. During his comments, he explained that he would have surgery for treatment.
“My first reaction was, ‘I just want this out. I don’t want to do radiation,'” Roker previously told SurvivorNet.
“At the end of the day, I thought, ‘surgery first,’ then I thought, ‘no, maybe radiation,’ then I went back and (said), ‘no, surgery.’ That was that. Once I make a decision, I don’t really second guess it,” Roker continued.
Roker had his prostate removed and some surrounding tissue and lymph nodes in a procedure called a radical prostatectomy. During this procedure, the surgeon removes the entire prostate, along with some tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles that release fluid into the semen. Your doctor can perform this through a traditional open procedure called laparoscopic surgery with one large or several small incisions.
Side effects may follow this procedure, which may include erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.
“There really was no pain,” Roker said on how he felt post-operation. “The biggest issue, obviously, is sexual function, and there’s treatment for that. I’m happy to say everything’s working fine.”
“To be honest, the hardest part really, there’s a little incontinence (loss of bladder control) to begin with that eventually goes away to me,” he said. “The hardest part was that initial week after surgery where you’re wearing a catheter (a soft tube that drains urine from the bladder). But even that was not onerous; it’s just a little inconvenient, but you know that it’s temporary.”
Sharpe’s Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
Shannon Sharpe was surprised when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer diagnosis in 2016 mainly because of the healthy lifestyle he lived as a professional athlete.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. His decorated career includes playing in eight Pro Bowls and multiple Super Bowls. He played for the Denver Broncos and the Baltimore Ravens before retiring in 2003. Since retirement, he’s become one of the most influential voices in sports with his “Undisputed” talk show.
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However, one thing Sharpe didn’t think of initially was his extensive family history of prostate cancer, which puts him at higher risk of getting the disease.
“My dad died at 39. Another brother, he died in his mid-40s. The other died in his late 40s or early 50s. So, all that’s going through my mind,” he told People Magazine.
Since learning more about the disease, he’s become adamant about annual prostate cancer screenings.
“I’m getting checked out all the time,” Sharpe said.
After Sharpe’s prostate cancer diagnosis, he underwent brachytherapy (also called radioactive seed implementation) for treatment.
Brachytherapy is a specialized radiation treatment where doctors place radioactive “seeds” or sources close to or inside the tumor. They use special machines to make tiny adjustments during treatment based on how the prostate moves.
This enables your doctor to precisely target cancer cells while leaving the surrounding healthy tissue undamaged.
“During a five- or 10-minute span, we can give super focused radiation actually within the prostate and direct it to the tumor,” he says. “And what this does as well is treat lesser the normal tissue because we’re treating from within and not from externally from without and not infrequently for more aggressive tumors,” NYU Langone Radiation Oncologist Dr. Michael Zelefsky tells SurvivorNet.
WATCH: Brachytherapy Explained.
Although brachytherapy limits exposure to healthy tissues, requires fewer treatment sessions, and has fewer side effects, it isn’t a viable option for all prostate cancer patients. If the cancer has spread significantly beyond its origin, this treatment may not be suitable. Some side effects may include urinary, bowel, or sexual dysfunction.
@shannon84sharpe My story. #prostatecancer #cancer #nfl #football #halloffame ♬ original sound – Shannon Sharpe
Sharpe has been declared “cancer-free” following treatment. He’s using his experience to encourage other men to undergo regular prostate cancer screenings.
“What I want to do now is break down the stigma – do not be afraid to go to the doctor,” he said.
“I can speak this. I’m not a paid actor. I lived this. I’ve been there. I can tell you this could save your life. Saved my life. I’m living proof,” Sharpe said.
More on Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. It starts in the walnut-shaped prostate gland between the rectum and bladder, producing the fluid that nourishes sperm. Fortunately, most prostate cancer is caught with screening examinations.
Prostate cancer does not always behave the same in every man it impacts. The cancer can be considered “low-risk” and can be slow-growing, and treatment might not be necessary. In other men, the cancer may grow faster or more aggressively, requiring more immediate treatment. Because of this, there is some debate about screening.
The United States Preventive Services Taskforce recommends men at average risk between the ages of 55-69 years old should talk with their doctor about the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening.
The American Cancer Society recommends that men at age 50 who are at average risk should begin screening. Men who are at high risk of prostate cancer should begin screening at age 40. Men with a close relative diagnosed with prostate cancer should consider annual screenings in their 30s.
Most doctors agree that men over the age of 70 do not need screening.
SurvivorNet experts suggested that men consider factors like their family history, genes, and age when deciding whether and when to screen.
Symptoms of prostate cancer may include:
- Urinating more often
- Waking up in the middle of the night to pee
- Blood in your urine
- Trouble getting an erection
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Pain in your back, hips, thighs, or other bones
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
Questions for Your Doctor
If you have experienced symptoms associated with prostate cancer or have a screening coming up, here are some questions you may ask your doctor:
- If I have elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, what could be causing that besides cancer?
- How long will it take to learn if my PSA levels warrant further testing?
- What are the treatment options that are best suited for me based on my risk level?
- What financial resources exist to help me with the costs associated with treatment?
- How long will my potential treatment prevent me from working or continuing normal activities?
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