Why are we interested in recruiting African American families for the PROGRESS Study?
African American men have a 60% higher incidence of prostate cancer compared
to Caucasian Americans.
African American men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer compared
to Caucasian Americans.
Studies of prostate cancer risk factors in blacks and whites have not provided
clear answers as to why blacks have a higher incidence or mortality from this
disease compared to their white counterparts.
In addition to environmental risk factors, genetic factors are thought to play
an important role in causing prostate cancer.
Different genes may be responsible for causing prostate cancer in different
subgroups of the population such as in African American compared to Caucasian
men.
In order to identify inherited genes that cause prostate cancer to occur more
frequently in some families, we need to conduct family based studies that collect
information and blood samples from all relevant family members (those with and
without prostate cancer.)
To date, only a few African American families have enrolled in PROGRESS.
This compares to about 200 Caucasian families who have joined the study.
What kind of families are we looking for?
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