Prostate cancer is a major health concern for men, especially as they get older. The good news is that it’s very treatable when caught early, but many men put off screenings because of fear, stigma, or simply not knowing enough about them. By breaking down the stigma and encouraging regular check-ups, we can help more men catch prostate cancer early and save lives.
Magnitude of the Problem Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in the United States, with more than 288,000 new cases and over 34,000 deaths reported annually (CDC, 2023). Black men face an even greater burden, experiencing higher incidence rates and nearly double the mortality rate compared to white men (Healthy People 2030, n.d.). While the exact cause of prostate cancer remains unknown, risk factors include age (50+), family history, and lifestyle behaviors. Without early detection, prostate cancer can progress silently, leading to advanced disease and fewer treatment options.
Solutions Addressing prostate cancer requires a combination of medical, community, and policy strategies:
Screening and Early Detection: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and digital rectal exams can detect cancer before symptoms appear. Shared decision-making between men and healthcare providers is essential.
Targeted Education: Culturally tailored education for high-risk groups, especially Black men, can help overcome mistrust and improve screening rates.
Policy Initiatives: Expanding access to preventive care under national goals such as Healthy People 2030 can reduce disparities in cancer outcomes (Healthy People 2030, n.d.).
Community-Based Programs: Faith-based and local organizations can host men’s health events to promote awareness and provide free or low-cost screenings.
What Men and Families Can Do
Know Your Risk: Men over 50—or over 45 for those at higher risk—should discuss screening options with their doctor.
Adopt Healthy Habits: Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and avoiding tobacco may lower overall cancer risk.
Encourage Conversations: Families and partners can help men feel more comfortable discussing health concerns.
Use Trusted Resources: Organizations like the CDC and American Cancer Society provide evidence-based guidance on prostate cancer prevention and care.
Conclusion Prostate cancer is a leading threat to men’s health, but it doesn’t have to be. With early detection, informed choices, and strong community support, men can take proactive steps to protect their health and lives.
Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). Cancer prevention and screening. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. https://health.gov/healthypeople
Reginia Dodson | UAB Community Health and Human Services Intern
There are so many types of cancer and so many unknown causes for them all as well. Cancer can develop in any part of the body, including bone marrow. The cancer that spreads in bone marrow is called Myeloma. What exactly is Myeloma? “Myeloma, also called multiple myeloma, is a cancer of the plasma cells. Plasma cells are white blood cells that make antibodies that protect us from infection. In myeloma, the cells grow too much, crowding out normal cells in the bone marrow that make red blood cells, platelets, and other white blood cells” (CDC, 2023).
This form of cancer seems remarkably like AIDS in the way these cancer cells attack white blood cells which really weakens the immune system. According to the CDC there are multiple forms of Myeloma, it all depends on location and if the cancer spreads or remains in one area:
Multiple Myeloma
Develops in bone marrow
Solitary plasmacytoma
Develops (usually in bone) in one area of the body
Extramedullary plasmacytoma
Develops in soft tissue, such as throat or lungs
Regardless of which form of myeloma develops, all are very painful and difficult to live with. “Sometimes myeloma does not cause any symptoms. It may be found when a blood or urine test is done for another condition and a higher-than-normal level of protein is found” (CDC, 2023). This is another reason it is vital to get routine check ups, because there is little to suggest that this form of cancer is caused by lifestyle, but doctors can detect it with urine samples x-rays, and blood work.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023b, June 28). Myeloma. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/myeloma/
By Regina Dodson | UAB Community Health and Human Services Intern
Cancer is a leading cause of death in the United States, and there is also a high prevalence of the disease affecting the African American community. African Americans have higher cancer mortality rates than any other racial or ethnic group, with a 14% higher overall cancer death rate than non-Hispanic whites (ACS, 2021). This disparity can be caused by a variety of factors, including socio-economic status, lifestyle factors, and limited access to healthcare.
One solution to reduce cancer disparities in the African American community is to increase access to cancer screenings. Early detection is crucial in the treatment of cancer, and regular cancer screenings can help detect cancer at an early stage, when it is most treatable. However, African Americans are less likely to receive cancer screenings than non-Hispanic whites, due to limited access to healthcare (ACS, 2021).
Community-based interventions have shown promise in increasing cancer screening rates in the African American community. These interventions involve community outreach and education, providing information on the importance of cancer screenings and how to access them. The Patient Navigation Program provides individualized support to people wishing to be screened for cancer, including transportation and other logistical support (Ferrante et al., 2011).
Another community-based intervention is the use of mobile mammography units, which bring mammography services to underserved communities, making it easier for women to access breast cancer screenings (Willems et al., 2019). Mobile mammography units have been shown to be effective in increasing breast cancer screening rates in underserved populations, including African American women.
Increasing access to cancer screenings in the African American community is crucial for reducing cancer disparities. Community-based interventions, such as the Patient Navigation Program and mobile mammography units, can help increase cancer screening rates in underserved populations. By improving access to cancer screenings, we can help detect cancer at an early stage, leading to better treatment outcomes and ultimately reducing cancer mortality rates in the African American community.
Ferrante, J. M., Chen, P. H., Kim, S., & The-Pennsylvania-Patient-Centered-Medical-Home-Initiative (2011). The effect of patient navigation on time to diagnosis, anxiety, and satisfaction in urban minority women with abnormal mammograms: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Urban Health, 88(2), 211–226. doi: 10.1007/s11524-010-9502-6
Willems, B. A., Henry, K. A., Richter, R. R., & Hsieh, Y. W. (2019). Breast Cancer Screening in Underserved Women in the United States: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Women’s Health, 28(2), 269–277. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2017.6863
by Senequa Malone, Jaelyn Copeland, and Shon Mack, with contributions from Shayna Bryan | Interns and UAB Community Health and Human Services students
Graphic by Jaelyn Copeland
(This article is based on a discussion from WWL’s Monday Night Wellness Watch. [Link to the livestream recording coming soon!])
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers out there. According to the CDC, it is the second most common cancer in women (after some skin cancers) and the second leading cause of cancer death in women (after lung cancer). About 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with some kind of breast cancer in her lifetime. No one is exempt from a breast cancer diagnoses. It affects men and women, old and young.
Today we’re going to learn about what breast cancer is, what the risk factors are, how you can reduce your risk, and how it affects Women of Color in our community.
What is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the breast. Cancer starts when cells begin to grow out of control. There are many different types of breast cancer, these depend on where in the breast the cancer cells are located. The breast is made up of 3 parts:
Lobules (glands that produce milk)
Ducts (connect glands to nipple)
Connective tissue (fat that surround the breast and makes up a large part of the volume)
Most breast cancers begin in the lobules or ducts. When the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is said to have metastasized.
How common is Breast Cancer? What about dying from Breast Cancer?
Every person has breast tissue, so everyone one is capable of developing breast cancer. It is most common in women, but men can develop it too. The lifetime risk is of getting breast cancer for a woman is 13% and the risk of dying from breast cancer is 2.6%. The 5-year survival rate post diagnosis is 90%. The number of new cases of breast cancer is going slightly up (0.5% per year), but death is going down (1% per year). This is likely due to early detection and better screening. Men are 100 times less likely to develop breast cancer, but that number is not zero. While rare, men are diagnosed and die from breast cancer every year
What are the risk factors for Breast Cancer?
Being born a woman
Being older
Obesity
Family history
15% of women with breast cancer have a family member with it
Early menstruation (starting before age 12)
Late menopause (starting after age 55)
Having dense breast tissue
What are dense breasts?
Breast density is a term that describes the relative amount of different types of breast tissue (glandular, connective, and fat tissue) as seen on a mammogram. Dense breasts have relatively high amounts of glandular tissue and fibrous connective tissue and relatively low amounts of fatty breast tissue.
Only a mammogram can show if a woman has dense breasts. Dense breast tissue cannot be felt in a clinical breast exam or in a breast self-exam. Nearly half of all women age 40 and older who get mammograms are found to have dense breasts.
Whether your breasts are dense is often due to genetics, but other factors can influence it. Factors associated with lower breast density include increasing age, having children. Factors associated with higher breast density include having a high body-mass index and using postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy.
Is there any way to reduce our risk of Breast Cancer?
Factors we can change include:
Maintain a healthy weight
Be regularly physically active
150-300 minutes of moderate intensity per week (or about 20-30 minutes a day)
Eat a healthy diet
Vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fat
Perform monthly breast self-exams
40% of diagnosed breast cancers were detected by women who feel a lump
Start at age 20 to become familiar with your “normal”
Monitor regularly for changes
Consume alcohol moderately, or not at all
Women who have 2-3 drinks a day have 20% higher risk than non-drinkers
If you have children, breastfeed if you are able
What about Breast Cancer risk among African American women?
African American women have a 31% breast cancer mortality rate – the highest of any U.S. racial or ethnic group. While the reasons behind this disparity are numerous and complicated, the issue is real and there are at least some solutions everyone agrees on: more screening, more self-exams, and more access to treatment for African American women.
Set a schedule and do it regularly. A good time to start is 3-5 days after your period it ends, then continue to perform a BSE every month.
Remove your clothing and take a good look at yourself in the mirror. If you’re never done something like this before, it can feel a little silly and embarrassing at first, but it’s very important to become familiar with your own body and what is normal for you, so you can detect changes.
Breasts come in all shapes and sizes (many women have one breast larger than the other), so once you know what is normal for you, when you perform these exams you’re going to be looking for anything that stands out as different or unusual
Look for any distortion of the shape, dimpling, puckering, or odd bulging.
How’s the color? Are there any areas of redness, a rash, or parts that look swollen? Is the nipple in its normal positions or has that changed, is it inverted? Is there any discharged? It could look “watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood”.
Raise your arms, and look for the same things. Does this position aggravate any soreness or pain in your breasts?
Next lie down flat on your back and place one arm behind your head. With the other hand, use the pad of your fingers to press firmly around your breast tissue. Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.
Use a pattern to make sure you cover your entire breast. Two common patterns are to start in the center and make your way outwards in circles, another is to go top to bottom across the breast like you’re mowing the lawn.
If you do feel a lump, don’t worry, stay calm, and make an appointment with your regular physician.
Most lumps are benign (non-cancerous). There are many benign breast conditions that can cause lumps that resolve on their own.
What about Mammograms?
A mammogram is an X-ray picture of the breast. Doctors use a mammogram to look for early signs of breast cancer. Regular mammograms are the best tests doctors have to find breast cancer early, sometimes up to three years before it can be felt.
Women ages 40-44 should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms if they wish to do so, particularly if they have family history of breast cancer
Women ages 45-54 should get mammograms every year
Women 55 and older should switch to mammograms every 2 years, or can continue yearly screening.
Screening should continue as long as a woman is in good health and is expected to live 10 more years or longer. All women should be familiar with the known benefits, limitations, and potential harms linked to breast cancer screening.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, September 20). Breast cancer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). USCS data visualizations – CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://gis.cdc.gov/Cancer/USCS/.
Moore, J. X., Han, Y., Appleton, C., Colditz, G., & Toriola, A. T. (2020). Determinants of mammographic breast density by race among a large screening population. JNCI Cancer Spectrum. https://doi.org/10.1093/jncics/pkaa010
Wilkinson Wellness Laboratory 