Studies show African American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world, but now FAMU has the funding to establish a center for research and community outreach.
Monday, local leaders announced a $1 million grant to create a prostate cancer research center at FAMU's College of Pharmacy, and here's why. Studies show African American males are 70 percent more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than white males, and 2.4 times more likely to die from it, but researchers now have the funding to find out why.
“We're looking at tumors of black males and comparing them to white males,” says Folake Odedina, a FAMU cancer researcher
“Our plan is to screen 2500 men in the greater Tallahassee area between now and June of this year,” says Dr. Henry Lewis, FAMU Pharmacy Dean.
A big goal considering one of the major reasons believed to be behind the disparity is the unwillingness of black males to be screened.
Dr. Merlin Langley, also a FAMU prostate cancer researcher, says, “It makes them feel uncomfortable, not like a man, we want to find out how this interferes, get the blood work done.
If detected early, cancer experts say the disease is nearly 100 percent survivable.