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A review of African American-white differences in risk factors for cancer: prostate cancer

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Abstract

Objective

African American men have higher prostate cancer incidence rates than White men, for reasons not completely understood. This review summarizes the existing literature of race-specific associations between risk factors and prostate cancer in order to examine whether associations differ.

Methods

We reviewed epidemiologic studies published between January 1970 and December 2008 that reported race-specific effect estimates. We focused mainly on modifiable risk factors related to lifestyle and health. A total of 37 articles from 21 study populations met our inclusion criteria.

Results

We found no evidence of racial differences in associations between prostate cancer and alcohol intake, tobacco use, and family history of prostate cancer. Research suggests that a modest positive association may exist between height and prostate cancer risk (all prostate cancer and advanced prostate cancer) among Whites only. No clear patterns were observed for associations with physical activity, weight/body mass index, dietary factors, occupational history, sexual behavior, sexually transmissible infections, and other health conditions.

Discussion

Our results suggest few differences in prostate cancer risk factors exist between racial groups and underscore areas where additional research is needed. Future studies should enroll higher numbers of African American participants and report results for advanced prostate cancer.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the National Cancer Institute (grant number 2-T32-CA09330) and the Cancer Control Education Program at Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (grant number R25 CA57726). Support was also provided in part by grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (P30ES10126, T32ES007018). The authors have no financial or nonfinancial conflicts of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, CB #7435, McGavran-Greenberg Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Irina Mordukhovich, Danielle M. Backes, Leila Family, Lauren E. McCullough, Katie M. O’Brien, Hilda Razzaghi & Andrew F. Olshan

  2. Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Paul L. Reiter & Andrew F. Olshan

  3. Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Paul L. Reiter

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  1. Irina Mordukhovich
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  2. Paul L. Reiter
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  4. Leila Family
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Correspondence to Andrew F. Olshan.

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Work for this manuscript was performed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, USA 27599-7400.

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Mordukhovich, I., Reiter, P.L., Backes, D.M. et al. A review of African American-white differences in risk factors for cancer: prostate cancer. Cancer Causes Control 22, 341–357 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9712-5

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