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Following skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most frequently seen type of cancer in American men and it is predicted that nearly 220,000 men in the United States alone will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007 and that approximately 27,000 men will die from the condition.
However, as is the case with many diseases, survival rates from prostate cancer are not the same everywhere and this should give us the data that will permit us to improve our treatment options.
A recent study examined data on nearly 117,000 men suffering from prostate cancer (just over 108,000 white men and almost 9,000 Asians drawn from the six largest Asian ethnicities - , Korean, Japanese, South Asian, Filipino, Chinese and Vietnamese). The study looked at survival rates and prognostic factors for these men.
Amongst the many findings of the study it was found that the risk profile for Asians was worse than that for whites, with Asians being more likely to suffer from advanced cases of the condition at the time of diagnosis and of being treated with a range of non-curative therapies. However, the study also showed that the survival rates for Asian men were either equal to or better than those seen in white men.
These results were especially surprising when we note that the age at which most Asian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer is far higher than that for white men and that their cancers are generally more advanced, which should clearly indicate a reduced survival rate.
When the statistics were examined in more detail however it was discovered that there was a significant variation between different groups of Asian men. As an example, Japanese-American men were one-third less likely to die from prostate cancer, while men from South Asia (including, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Bhutan) were forty percent more likely to die from the disease.
So what does this mean? Unfortunately the answer would seem to be not a great deal. These variations are without doubt large enough to be significant, but the wide variation between many broadly similar groups makes it virtually impossible to draw any real conclusions. Without doubt there are a variety of things, like diet, exercise and genetics, that are a factor but many of the findings seem to be almost contradictory.
The result is that, a study that it was believed would point to differences across ethic groups which would permit us to improve our treatment options has actually raised more questions that it has answered. Indeed, other than underlining the dangers of drawing conclusions from too broad a group, as seen in the difference in the figures for Asian men in general and men from just South Asia, the study has revealed that the differences were larger than many people had thought and therefore suggest that these variations might indeed be more significant than previously thought.
At the end of the day, this study has not taken us any further forward but has at least highlighted the need for more investigation that will hopefully provide better data and allow us to take advantage of the better survival rates amongst many Asian men in putting together treatment plans for prostate cancer.
Cancer - The Problem and the Solution:
* Discover The Truth About Cancer And How To Eliminate Sickness And Disease Naturally. More details
* Cancer: From Diagnosis To All Clear In 11 Months. More details
* Treating Prostate Cancer Naturally. More details
Following skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most frequently seen type of cancer in American men and it is predicted that nearly 220,000 men in the United States alone will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007 and that approximately 27,000 men will die from the condition.
However, as is the case with many diseases, survival rates from prostate cancer are not the same everywhere and this should give us the data that will permit us to improve our treatment options.
A recent study examined data on nearly 117,000 men suffering from prostate cancer (just over 108,000 white men and almost 9,000 Asians drawn from the six largest Asian ethnicities - , Korean, Japanese, South Asian, Filipino, Chinese and Vietnamese). The study looked at survival rates and prognostic factors for these men.
Amongst the many findings of the study it was found that the risk profile for Asians was worse than that for whites, with Asians being more likely to suffer from advanced cases of the condition at the time of diagnosis and of being treated with a range of non-curative therapies. However, the study also showed that the survival rates for Asian men were either equal to or better than those seen in white men.
These results were especially surprising when we note that the age at which most Asian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer is far higher than that for white men and that their cancers are generally more advanced, which should clearly indicate a reduced survival rate.
When the statistics were examined in more detail however it was discovered that there was a significant variation between different groups of Asian men. As an example, Japanese-American men were one-third less likely to die from prostate cancer, while men from South Asia (including, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Bhutan) were forty percent more likely to die from the disease.
So what does this mean? Unfortunately the answer would seem to be not a great deal. These variations are without doubt large enough to be significant, but the wide variation between many broadly similar groups makes it virtually impossible to draw any real conclusions. Without doubt there are a variety of things, like diet, exercise and genetics, that are a factor but many of the findings seem to be almost contradictory.
The result is that, a study that it was believed would point to differences across ethic groups which would permit us to improve our treatment options has actually raised more questions that it has answered. Indeed, other than underlining the dangers of drawing conclusions from too broad a group, as seen in the difference in the figures for Asian men in general and men from just South Asia, the study has revealed that the differences were larger than many people had thought and therefore suggest that these variations might indeed be more significant than previously thought.
At the end of the day, this study has not taken us any further forward but has at least highlighted the need for more investigation that will hopefully provide better data and allow us to take advantage of the better survival rates amongst many Asian men in putting together treatment plans for prostate cancer.
Cancer - The Problem and the Solution:
* Discover The Truth About Cancer And How To Eliminate Sickness And Disease Naturally. More details
* Cancer: From Diagnosis To All Clear In 11 Months. More details
* Treating Prostate Cancer Naturally. More details
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