What is a Prostate?

A prostate is a small gland, about the size of a walnut, sitting just below the bladder. It wraps around the urethra (that’s the tube that carries urine and semen out of the body) and plays a big role in reproduction by producing seminal fluid, which helps sperm move.

As men age, the prostate often grows larger, which can sometimes lead to health concerns but let’s not panic just yet. Understanding its function is a vital first step toward recognizing potential health concerns early.

What is Cancer?

You’ve probably heard the word thrown around a lot, but let’s break it down. Cancer is when cells in the body start growing out of control. In prostate cancer, this overgrowth usually starts in the small tubes (ducts) inside the prostate gland.

Now, here’s the tricky part: prostate cancer isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some types grow super slowly (so slow that they may never actually cause problems), while others are aggressive and need urgent treatment.

For Black men, the aggressive type is more common. That’s why routine screenings are critical, especially for those with a family history. A PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) blood test is one of the simplest ways to detect potential issues long before symptoms appear. This might sound overwhelming, but here’s the good news: when caught early, prostate cancer is highly treatable. 

Recent Statistics

Studies show 1 in 4 Black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, compared to 1 in 8 men from other racial groups. Even more alarming, 1 in 12 Black men will die from it. Black men are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed and twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than other groups. Why? A mix of genetics, late diagnosis, and disparities in healthcare access.

A big part of the problem is late detection. In places like Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, many cases aren’t even recorded because we lack proper cancer registries. That means the actual numbers could be even higher.

Age Bracket

Prostate cancer is typically associated with men over 50, but for Black men, it’s a different story. Research shows they tend to develop more aggressive forms at a younger age. This is why experts recommend starting annual screenings as early as 40, especially if there’s a family history.

Ethnicity

The link between ethnicity and prostate cancer is undeniable. For reasons still under investigation likely a combination of genetics, lifestyle, and healthcare disparities Black men are disproportionately affected. Genetic studies have identified mutations in specific genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 (yes, the same ones linked to breast cancer), could make prostate cancer more aggressive in Black men. These genes are part of your body’s genetic code and act like instructions that control how your cells grow and repair themselves. When mutations occur in these genes, the instructions can go wrong, leading to an increased risk of developing cancer.

It’s important to understand that having these mutations doesn’t guarantee someone will get prostate cancer, but it does increase the likelihood.

Recent News

One of the biggest challenges in tackling prostate cancer, especially in West Africa, is the lack of reliable data. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), there’s little to no cancer data available from West Africa.

Why is this a problem? Because without proper records, we don’t know the full scale of the issue. The few cancer registries that do exist in Nigeria have struggled to meet global reporting standards, meaning that a lot of cases go undocumented.

For example, the most recent population-based cancer data from Nigeria was last accepted in the year 2000—and even then, it only covered one region in the Southwest. That’s over two decades of missing information. This means that many cases of prostate cancer in Black men, especially in Nigeria, aren’t being tracked properly.

Without proper data, it’s harder to push for better screening programs, more treatment centers, and increased funding for prostate cancer research in Africa.

But there’s hope. Global organizations, including ours, and local healthcare advocates are working to improve cancer registries and raise awareness about early screening. The more data we have, the better equipped we’ll be to fight prostate cancer head-on.