ecancermedicalscience has just published a new Special Issue which features research on the global burden of prostate cancer, which is borne disproportionately by black men.  The seven articles, from the Prostate Cancer Transatlantic Consortium, address the issue of prostate cancer in black men from multiple perspectives, including screening, intervention, and treatment.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men globally, and the most common male cancer in Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and North America. All black men are disproportionately affected by prostate cancer, while African-American and Jamaican men have the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world.

Multiple factors combine to increase this risk, including genetics and socioeconomic status. However, men of African descent are less likely to be able to access necessary healthcare. Men of African descent are underrepresented in the sampling pools in both laboratory science and clinical research, partially due to the lack of research funding in developing countries.

Read the collection of articles, which is guest edited by Dr Folakemi Odedina of the University of Florida, and provides a worldwide perspective that is urgently needed.