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prostate cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the prostate gland. it often progresses very slowly and is well-managed after diagnosis. but caught late, prostate cancer can be a serious disease that may cause difficulties with urinating and sexual function, spread beyond the prostate gland to other organs, and even lead to death.
according to the canadian cancer society (ccs) , prostate cancer is a common condition that affects one in eight canadian men. of those, about three to four per cent will die. because of its prevalence, prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in men. but the disease doesn’t affect all communities equally. in fact, the ccs reports that black men of african or caribbean ancestry have almost twice the risk of developing prostate cancer compared to non-black men; are more likely to have prostate tumours that grow and spread quickly; and are more likely to die from prostate cancer than other men.
doctors typically look for prostate cancer by performing one or both of the following screening tests: a digital rectal exam (dre) using a gloved finger to feel for abnormal growth on or around the prostate, or a prostate-specific antigen (psa) test , which is a blood test that looks for a specific protein that is produced by prostate cells.
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anthony henry, 62, a financial advisor in brampton, ont. was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015, 14 years after his father passed away following a stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis. his brother and uncle have also been diagnosed and treated. henry sat down with healthing to talk about his role as co-vice-president of the black walnut foundation , a black male prostate cancer support group, what it’s like to live with disease that needs to be monitored and why prostate cancer is different for the black community.
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but there are resources available in the community, like the canadian cancer society , that can tell you a lot more than what you could learn in a doctor’s office during a 10-minute meeting. there are also support groups like the one that i’m involved with, the black walnut foundation, specifically for black men. it really helps to have support. unfortunately, a lot of men don’t take advantage of them or don’t know about these resources.
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