Clark Atlanta receives grant to study prostate cancer in Black men

By Frederick H. Lowe
Contributing Writer

(Special from NorthStar News) – The National Institutes of Health has renewed a grant to Clark Atlanta University for research into prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths among African-American men, according to the American Cancer Society.

The National Institute on Minor­ity Health and Health Disparities, a component of the National of Health, awarded a five-year, $7.4 million grant to Clark Atlanta University, which is based in Atlanta.

“Researchers are studying the biological, behavioral and social factors that contribute to the second most-common cause of death from cancer among black, white, American Indian/Alaska Native and Latino men.

Researchers from Clark Atlanta and the Center for Cancer Re­search and Therapeutic Dev­elop­ment, which collaborates with academic and lay communities, are also studying the disproportionate impact of prostate cancer on Black men who have the highest risk of developing prostate cancer, the highest risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer and also have the highest mortality rate.

The Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development also operates a community-based educational program focusing on early detection and treatment.

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among Black men behind lung and bronchus cancer. Prostate cancer accounts for most cancer cases among Black men, according to the American Cancer Society.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam, who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, has urged men to get checked for the disease.

“This award will help to build the most comprehensive prostate cancer research and educational program in the country, and help to sustain vital partnerships required to address this disease and its disproportionate impact on black men,” said Dr. Shafiq A. Khan, principal investigator and director of CCRTD.

This article originally published in the May 26, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.