Why are prostate cancer rates particularly high among African Americans?
The only clear reason why the incidence and mortality rate for prostate cancer should be higher among African Americans than they are among the rest of the population is hormonal. The progress of prostate cancer is significantly impacted by levels of the male hormone testosterone, and African Americans have a higher average level of testosterone in their blood than white Americans. The simplistic conclusion is that the higher testosterone level is directly related to a higher rate of incidence of prostate cancer and a higher rate of mortality. However, there are also some suggestions that differences in diet between African Americans and white Americans may also be involved. A great deal more study will be required before we can draw any absolute conclusions.
