Prostate cancer is a leading cancer among men in many parts of Africa. In 2020 it was the top cancer for men in 40 Sub-Saharan African countries. Southern Africa has mortality rates 2.7 times the global average, a gap linked to limited healthcare access, weak early-detection programmes and genetic risk factors.
Awareness of symptoms is low and late diagnosis is common in places such as Nigeria, which makes treatment more difficult. Barriers to testing include misinformation and stigma; some men wrongly believe screening is invasive. One man diagnosed in late 2022 learned during a routine annual check that screening can be a simple blood test, and he credits early testing for his good prognosis.
Researchers from the Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate Consortium (MADCaP) published a large study in Nature Genetics in October. The study, with nearly 8,000 participants across five African countries, found three genetic regions linked to higher prostate cancer risk. Scientists say African-specific data can help shape screening and improve survival, and they call for local investment and training so African researchers lead these studies.
Difficult words
- mortality — number of deaths in a group
- detection — finding a disease or problem earlyearly-detection
- awareness — knowledge or understanding about a subject
- stigma — negative social attitudes or unfair beliefs
- screening — medical tests to find disease early
- prognosis — expected outcome or future course of illness
- genetic — relating to genes or inherited characteristics
- consortium — a group of organizations working together
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why might misinformation and stigma stop men from getting tested for prostate cancer in some places?
- How could local investment and training help African researchers and improve survival rates?
- What actions could health services take to raise awareness of prostate cancer symptoms?
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