BOSTON (WWLP) – One in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. The problem is so widespread that one American will die from complications from prostate cancer every 18 minutes. Daunting statistics like these stress the importance of early detection.
In this year alone, about 233,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in this country, and men in western Massachusetts should be particularly concerned, says Antonio Delesline of the Men of Color Health Alliance.
“It’s been detected that in the region as a whole, that there’s been more cases of prostate cancer. We don’t know why,” Delesline said.
African American men are 60% more likely to get prostate cancer compared to men of other races. If detected early, there’s a 100% survival rate at five years; stressing the importance to get a P-S-A blood test through your doctor.
“I know that some men would say ‘I just don’t want to be going through that.’ Hiding it, ignoring it, isn’t solving the problem. Addressing it head-on is what’s going to help people live longer and with a better quality of life,” said Sen. Stephen Brewer (D-Barre), himself a prostate cancer survivor.
Men over age 50 have a higher chance of getting prostate cancer, and African American men are 250% more likely to die from the disease.
