Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer among men in the U.S., and African American (A.A.) men have higher PCA incidence and mortality than other racial/ethnic groups (Batai, Murphy, Nonn and Kittles, 2016).
This interview explores the topic of prostate cancer in African American men with Dr. Rick Kittles. Currently, Dr. Kittles is the professor and founding director of the Division of Health Equities within the Department of Population Sciences at City of Hope. He is also the associate director of health equities in the comprehensive cancer center.
Dr. Kittles, with the fields of science and medicine being so vast, what drew you to prostate cancer research?
I have always been drawn to science as a young man. I did not know exactly what I wanted to do until my grandfather was diagnosed with PCA. He went to the doctor late and was presented with a late-stage diagnosis. Like many other African American men, he did not go to the doctor regularly, and thus when he did go, it was too late. He died shortly after his diagnosis. This experience made me want to focus on what Pca is and why are African American men almost two times more susceptible to the disease than white men.
It is said that prostate cancer impacts African American men more than any other ethnic group. Can you explain what prostate cancer is exactly and confirm/elaborate on that statement (why is this the case)?
We are still researching the why, as this disparity in incidence and mortality is not exclusive to just PCA. We see many other diseases where African Americans have higher rates of incidence and death; however, it looks like PCA disparities are driven more by genetics than other factors. DNA is inherited within families and varies between individuals. Some of that variation has been linked to increased risk and poor outcomes.
How does someone’s race determine their health outcomes?
America has a history of racially classifying social groups (RCSGs), which can impact health outcomes. In the United States, different races and ethnic groups fare much differently in nearly all areas of life, including education, employment, income, wealth, health, and life expectancy. Racial stratification refers to the impact people’s race, or ethnic group has on their position in the social hierarchy. A racially stratified society exhibits racial inequality, with unequal access to a society’s resources based on race or ethnicity.
What should African American men do to prevent/address prostate cancer?
No blanket recommendation will work for everyone, especially since genes are a significant player in PCA. The bottom line is that men should eat healthy (more fruits and vegetables, vitamin D supplementation, low amounts of burnt, red meat), exercise, and get screened for prostate cancer as often as medically recommended. In her research, Dr. Gross found that while the American Cancer Society generally recommended prostate screenings begin at age 50, individuals with a history of prostate cancer should begin prostate cancer screenings at age 40.
What advancements have been made in the field of medicine regarding prostate cancer, and what is your involvement?
There is a lot of focus now on the role of vitamin D in cancer prevention. This is especially the case for prostate cancer since my work and others have shown that vitamin D activates genes in the prostate, which have anti-cancer benefits.City of Hope partners through collaborations and combining resources to respond to the needs of the community. We initially start by engaging our community partners to listen to what is important to them. We also perform community needs assessments to identify areas of need. From this, we develop programming with our partners to improve the health of the community.
Why is it so important for African American men to participate in prostate cancer research?
Most of the research is on white men. There is a lack of data on African American men. Thus, to fully understand the disparity we see, we need more men of color to be involved in the research.
If there were a takeaway that you’d like readers to have after reading this interview, what would it be?
Since vitamin D deficiency is typically asymptomatic unless it is severe, it is recommended that African American men get screened for this at least once per year. Be proactive in monitoring all areas of your health, as adverse outcomes can often be avoided when issues are detected early.In addition to his roles within City of Hope, Dr. Rick Kittles is also the co-founder and scientific director of African Ancestry. Founded in 2003, African Ancestry is the world leader in tracing maternal and paternal lineages of African descent, having helped more than 750,000 people re-connect with the roots of their family tree. With the industry’s largest and most comprehensive database of over 30,000 indigenous African DNA samples, African Ancestry determines specific countries and specific ethnic groups of origin.
By Sharitta F. Gross, Ed.D.
Citation: Batai K, Murphy AB, Nonn L, and Kittles RA (2016) Vitamin D and Immune Response: Implications for Prostate Cancer in African Americans. Front. Immunol. 7:53. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00053
