Racial disparities in prostate cancer among black men: epidemiology and outcomes

Prostate cancer has the widest racial disparities of any cancer, and these disparities appear at every stage of the cancer continuum. This review focuses on the disparities in prostate cancer between Black and White men, spanning from prevention and screening to clinical outcomes. We conduct an expansive review of the literature on racial disparities in prostate cancer, interpret the findings, and discuss areas of unmet need in research. We provide an overview of epidemiologic concepts necessary to understanding the current state of prostate cancer disparities, discuss the complexities of studying race, and review potential drivers of disparities in incidence and mortality. We argue that the cause of this disparity is multifactorial and due to a combination of social and environmental factors. The path forward needs to focus on enrolling and retaining Black men in prostate cancer clinical trials and observational studies and identifying potential interventions to improve prevention and clinical outcomes in Black men.