Following skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most often seen type of cancer in American men and it is estimated that in the region of 219,000 men in the US will be diagnosed as having prostate cancer during 2007 and that just over 27,000 men will die from the condition.
But, as is the case with many diseases, prostate cancer survival rates are not the same across the world and this should provide us with data which will enable us to improve our treatment methods.
A recent study examined data on around 117,000 men with prostate cancer (including just over 108,000 white men and almost 9,000 Asians drawn from the six largest Asian ethnicities - , South Asian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean and Vietnamese). The study looked at survival rates and prognostic factors amongst these men.
Amongst the many findings from the study it was found that the risk profile for Asian men was worse than that for white men, with Asians being more likely to suffer from advanced cases of the condition by the time of diagnosis and of being treated with a range of non-curative therapies. But, the study also showed that the survival rates amongst Asian men were either the same as or better than the rates seen in white men.
These study results were especially surprising when we note that the average age at which Asian men are diagnosed as having prostate cancer is much higher than that for white men and that their cancer is frequently more advanced, which should clearly suggest a reduced survival rate.
When the data was examined in more detail however it was found that there was considerable variation between different groups of Asian men. As an example, Japanese-American men were thirty-four percent less likely to die from prostate cancer, while men from South Asia (including, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan) were forty percent more likely to die from prostate cancer.
So just what does this mean? Unfortunately the answer would appear to be not a great deal. These variations are without doubt large enough to be significant, but the wide variation between several broadly similar groups makes it impossible to draw any concrete conclusions. Unquestionably there are a number of things, like exercise, diet and genetics, which are a factor but several of the findings seem to be almost contradictory.
The result is that, a study which it was believed would point to differences across ethic groups which would allow us to improve prostate cancer treatment has in fact produced more questions that it has answered. Actually, aside from pointing to the dangers of reaching conclusions based upon too broad a group, as witnessed in the wide variation in the figures for Asian men in general and South Asian men, the study has revealed that the differences were larger than most people had thought and thus suggest that these variations could indeed be more significant than previously thought.
As things stand, this study has not taken us any further forward but it has highlighted the need for more investigation which will hopefully provide better data and allow us to take advantage of the better survival rates in many Asian groups in putting together prostate cancer treatment plans.
Author Resource:-
ProstateProblemCenter.com provides information on prostate cancer from understanding prostate cancer symptoms to the therapeutic use of prostate milking
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