Many Asian Men Show A Greater Ability To Survive Prostate Cancer than White Men

by: Donald Saunders

Following skin cancer, prostate cancer is now the most commonly seen type of cancer in American men and it is predicted that in the region of 219,000 men in the US will be diagnosed as having prostate cancer during 2007 and that approximately 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 fact should give us the data which will permit us to improve our treatment methods.

In a recent study data was examined on around 117,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer (approximately 108,000 white men and almost 9,000 Asians drawn from the six largest Asian ethnic groups - Japanese, South Asian, Korean, Filipino, Chinese and Vietnamese). The study examined prognostic factors and survival rates for these men.

Amongst the various findings of the study it was found that the risk profile for Asian men was worse than that for whites, with Asians being more likely to suffer from advanced cases of the condition by the time of diagnosis and of receiving treatment with a variety of non-curative therapies. But, the study also found that the survival rates for Asian men were either equal to or better than those for white men.

These results were especially surprising when we note that the age at which Asian men are diagnosed as having prostate cancer is significantly higher than that for white men and that their cancers are frequently more advanced, which should clearly suggest a lower survival rate.

When the figures were examined in more detail however it was revealed that there was considerable variation between different Asian groups. For example, Japanese-American men were one-third less likely to die from prostate cancer, while men from South Asia (including India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan) were forty percent more likely to die from the condition.

So just what does this mean? Unfortunately the answer would appear to be not a great deal. These variations are undoubtedly large enough to be significant, however the wide variation between several largely similar groups makes it virtually impossible to draw any real conclusions. Without doubt there are a number of things, like diet, exercise and genetics, which are a factor but several of the findings seem to be almost contradictory.

In consequence, a study which it was hoped would identify differences across ethic groups which would permit us to improve prostate cancer treatment has actually produced more questions that it has answered. Indeed, apart from exentuating the dangers of reaching conclusions based upon too large a group, as witnessed in the difference in the figures for Asian men as a whole and men from just South Asia, the study has revealed that the differences were larger than many people had believed and thus suggest that these variations may be more significant than previously believed.

At the end of the day, this study has not taken us any further forward however has highlighted the need for further investigation which will hopefully give us better data and allow us to take advantage of the better survival rates amongst many Asian men in drawing up treatment plans for prostate cancer.

ProstateProblemCenter.com provides information on prostate cancer from understanding prostate cancer symptoms to examining different forms of prostate cancer treatment

source:searchwarp.com