Cancer deaths among African Americans drop

Cancer death rates have steadily declined among Black people but remain higher than in other racial and ethnic groups, a new U.S. government study shows.

Cancer deaths have been dropping for all Americans for the past two decades because of lower smoking rates and advances in early detection and treatment.

The rates among Black people fell 2% each year from 1999 to 2019, from 359 cancer deaths per 100,000 to 239 deaths per 100,000, according to the report published online in JAMA Oncology.

In 2019, the highest cancer death rates were in Black men — 294 deaths per 100,000 — almost double the lowest rate in Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The rate for white men was 249 deaths per 100,000. For Hispanic men, it was 177 deaths per 100,000 and 255 deaths per 100,000 among Native American men.

An earlier report from the American Cancer Society found the racial gap was narrowing, mostly because of a bigger decline in cigarette smoking among Black people.

In the new study, based on an analysis of death certificates, deaths from most cancers dropped in Black men and women. The biggest declines were in lung cancer among Black men and stomach cancer in Black women. Both are linked with declines in smoking, which contributes to many other cancers.

The persistently higher death rate among Black Americans remains a concern, and likely reflects social and economic disparities including poverty, less access to care and mistrust of doctors, said National Cancer Institute researcher Wayne Lawrence, who led the study.

“It’s showing that we can’t simply rely on medical care as a way to address and eliminate the disparities,’’ said Carla Williams, a Howard University expert in cancer-related health disparities, who had no role in the research.

Cancer prevention expert Dr. Otis Brawley of Johns Hopkins University noted that other data show Black Americans get worse cancer care than white people. That’s in part because they’re more likely to be treated at hospitals with overworked doctors and fewer resources, and less likely to have a college degree, he said.

Aspiring bodybuilder wins medal in 1st bodybuilding competition after 20 weeks of chemo

Erica Langley, an aspiring bodybuilder who discovered she had cancer in 2018 is inspiring others after winning a medal in her first competition after chemotherapy.

Watch her story below:

>

Alpha Phi Alpha partners with ESPN to raise money for cancer research

For the second year, Alpha Phi Alpha is teaming with ESPN and the V Foundation for Cancer Research to drive awareness and support for the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund.

Stuart Scott, an Alpha Phi Alpha brother, was committed to advancing cancer research and as his Alpha brothers, we are honored to be a part of his continuing legacy to help others.

Stuart was a champion for cancer research and he was especially driven to improve outcomes for minorities disproportionally affected by the disease.

Through the Stuart Scott Fund, the V Foundation has invested more than 12.7 million dollars in grants that are designed to support the work of minority scientists and research that is dedicated to finding therapeutic treatments and positive outcomes for African Americans and other minority populations. Today, Stuart's legacy lives on in this fund.

Visit v.org/aphia for more information.

Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green becomes the first person to successfully cure cancer

Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green has become the first person to successfully cure cancer in mice using laser-activated nanoparticles.

Unlike traditional cancer treatments, Green’s revolutionary and unique nanoparticle technology, which was found to successfully cure cancer after testing on mice within 15 days, does not require chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. Green received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to expand her nanoparticle cancer treatment research.

Green’s interest in cancer treatment stems from witnessing the death of her aunt, Ora Lee, who suffered from cancer, and her uncle, General Lee Smith, who also was diagnosed with cancer and experienced the negative side effects of chemotherapy treatment.

Green is, not surprisingly, highly educated. In her pursuit to fight cancer she obtained her bachelor’s degree in physics and optics from Alabama A&M University and later earned her master of science in physics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, both of which she received full scholarships for.

[SOURCE: BLACK ENTERPRISE]

Barack Obama statement on John Lewis cancer diagnosis

Former President Barack Obama took to Twitter to send a message to his friend Rep. John Lewis after Lewis announced that he had stage four pancreatic cancer:

If there’s one thing I love about @RepJohnLewis, it’s his incomparable will to fight. I know he’s got a lot more of that left in him. Praying for you, my friend.

New PSA with Harry Lennix on how prostate cancer disproportionately affecting African American men

Actor Harry Lennix   who currently co-stars on the NBC drama "The Blacklist," is the face of PCF's 2019 "Know the Numbers" campaign, which encourages men to understand their personal risks for prostate cancer. 

"I am honored to serve as an ambassador for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and to use my platform to raise awareness about this insidious disease which has affected so many people close to me," said Lennix.  "In honor of those I have lost, I am encouraging all men, including African Americans who are at heightened risk, to take the time to familiarize themselves with this disease and to take steps to reduce their risk for developing prostate cancer or to catch it early enough to survive it."

Despite recent reports of declining mortality rates for African American men, they remain the hardest hit by prostate cancer, with nearly 20 percent still being affected, and suffer the highest mortality rate from the disease of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. There remains a need to build public awareness about prostate cancer and to provide easy access to critical information, including screening guidelines, prevention and new targeted treatments.  Equally important is destigmatizing the disease through open, honest dialogue, such as this discussion featuring former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, Stacey Abrams, and her father, which will lead to more men becoming proactive about their health.

"Currently, there is focus and large commitment in place to understand why the disparities that affect African American men with prostate cancer exist, and we are finally seeing some progress. But this is not the time to take the foot off the gas; this is the time to accelerate," said Christine N. Jones, Chief Operating Officer, PCF.  "We have a two-pronged approach to address this issue -  education and awareness - which we know is saving lives on the front end, and investment in science, so we can better understand what is going on so precision treatments can be developed." 

National Minority Health Month Campaign Highlights

Actor Harry Lennix, who currently co-stars on the NBC drama "The Blacklist," is the face of PCF's 2019 "Know the Numbers" campaign, which encourages men to understand their

• personal risks for prostate cancer, take charge of their health and save lives by breaking down barriers and talking about the disease. The PCF's new PSA featuring Lennix can be viewed at www.pcf.org/knowthenumbers.
• The PCF's new "PROSTATE CANCER: Additional Facts for African American Men and Their Families" is available for free download at www.pcf.org. The new guide provides actionable information about what men can do to prevent prostate cancer as well as information about risks and screening guidelines specifically for African Americans. The guide features comments from Chris Tucker, Brian Custer, "Uncle" Charlie Wilson and Snoop Dogg. Also available for free download is a comprehensive Prostate Cancer Patient Guide. 
• The PCF currently has more than $10 million invested in research focused on prostate cancer in African American men. Teams across the U.S. are investigating a range of topics such as environmental factors to targeted therapies and genomics. Commencing this month is recruitment for the RESPOND study, which represents a $1 million PCF investment and is the largest study of its kind aimed at identifying the environmental and genetic factors related to disproportionately high diagnoses of aggressive prostate cancer in African American men. The study aims to recruit 10,000 participants over a three-year period to generate key biological and non-biological information that will help researchers reduce the rate of aggressive prostate cancer in this population. Find out more at www.pcf.org/RESPOND.
• Randy Jackson, Chris Tucker, Rev. Rosey Grier and others will be featured in month-long social media campaigns designed to reach men to encourage them to "Know the Numbers."

ABOUT THE PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993, PCF has raised more than $788 million and provided funding to more than 2,000 research programs at nearly 200 cancer centers and universities. The PCF global research enterprise now extends to 19 countries. PCF advocates for greater awareness of prostate cancer and more efficient investment of governmental research funds for transformational cancer research. Its efforts have helped produce a 20-fold increase in government funding for prostate cancer. For more information, visit www.pcf.org.

Connect with PCF:Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

MEDIA CONTACT:
Colleen McKenna
Prostate Cancer Foundation
(310) 570-4722
cmckenna@pcf.org

BET Announces Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign BET GOES PINK

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women and the statistics further reveal that African American women are disproportionately affected by breast cancer. According to Susan G. Komen Foundation, African-American women are almost 40 percent more likely to die of breast cancer than white women in the U.S. and in some cities, that number is as high as 74 percent*. Today, BET Networks announces its national, multi-platform call-to-action campaign, BET GOES PINK, dedicated to raising awareness, encouraging early detection and initiating dialogue about the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the black community. The Network's integrated approach includes BET Her's first original film "HER ONLY CHOICE", the second annual "BET HER FIGHTS BREAST CANCER" hosted by comedian and talk show host Loni Love, original PSAs and more.


"BET Networks is dedicated to reducing breast cancer health disparities among African American women and ensuring that Black women are included in the conversation about this disease, said Nneka Norville, Director of CORPORATE Social Responsibility, BET Networks. "Although we make a concerted effort in October, breast cancer prevention and education is part of BET's larger year-round commitment to women's empowerment. By leveraging our platforms and content offerings, we are able to educate and empower our audience as they navigate this important aspect of their health."

This year's activations include:

BET HER's FIRST ORIGINAL MOVIE: "HER ONLY CHOICE" PREMIERES, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6 at 9 PM ET/PT ON BET HER.

Kicking off BET Her's original movie franchise "Her Only Choice," tells the story of a woman who after years of infertility becomes pregnant only to be diagnosed with a life-altering disease. She must make a choice to either fight for her life or sacrifice her child's. The film stars Denise Boutte, Timon Kyle Durett, Leon Robinson, Tiffany Snow, Tamara Tunie and Vanessa Bell Calloway. Christel Gibson serves as the film's director and Brett Dismuke, Rob Johnson and Nikki Love serve as Executive Producers for SoChi Entertainment.

"BET HER: FIGHTS BREAST CANCER" PREMIERES SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7 AT 7 PM ON BET & BET HER

In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, BET Her will premiere the second annual "BET HER FIGHTS: BREAST CANCER" special, hosted by comedian and "The Real" co-host Loni Love. The one-hour special looks to raise awareness, and encourage more people to take action to prevent, diagnose, treat, & end breast cancer.

This year's honorees include Bershan Shaw and Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green. Shaw, a transformational coach, motivational speaker, author, and founder of URAWARRIOR.COM, is a two-time breast cancer survivor. Initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, it returned as stage 4 in 2009, she ultimately beat the odds is now nine years' cancer free. Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green, one of the first 100 African American women to earn a Ph.D. in Physics, is a physicist who specializes in targeted cancer therapeutics using nanotechnology and lasers. She founded the Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation in memory of her aunt, Ora Lee "Auntee" Smith, whose tragic experience with cancer inspired her to develop a cancer treatment without side effects.

The concert will feature inspirational surprise performances and special guests. Last year's performers included Xscape, Keyshia Cole, Sevyn Streeter and Alice Smith. Viewers will have an opportunity to get involved during the program through a dedicated line provided by the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which will provide free, professional support services to anyone with breast cancer questions or concerns, including men diagnosed with breast cancer and their families.

"BET HER FIGHTS: BREAST CANCER" will tape Thursday, September 20, 2018, at the Riverside EpiCenter in Atlanta, GA. The broadcast will premiere on Sunday, October 7, 2018 at 7:00 P.M. ET/PT on BET & BET Her.

ORIGINAL BET GOES PINK ON AIR, ONLINE AND ON SOCIAL

On Air: For the month of October all of BET Networks' brand bugs will go Pink to bring visual awareness to viewers on all of our platforms.
BET.com: BET Goes Pink's online portal - BET.com/BETGoesPink features articles, video vignettes and resources to ensure our audience is armed with the information needed to stay informed and healthy. For more information on "BET Goes Pink" and resources on breast cancer, please log onto www.bet.com/betgoespink.
BET Social: Follow @BET on Twitter and Instagram for updates and health news. Use the hashtag #BETGoesPink to join the conversation with patients, survivors, friends and family.
*Source: American Cancer Society & Susan G. Komen

ABOUT BET NETWORKS

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA) (NASDAQ: VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in nearly 85 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, France and South Korea. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER (formerly CENTRIC), a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET's growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET Networks around the globe.

Tuskegee University develops new breast cancer test

A team led by Tuskegee University researchers have developed a new way to detect the most aggressive and fatal form of breast cancer.

The university and researchers hope the new method may hold the potential for earlier detection and more informed treatment decisions.

The breakthrough was detailed in an article in PLOS ONE,a publication tied to the Public Library of Science. The article, “AR Negative Triple Negative or ‘Quadruple Negative’ Breast Cancers in African-American Women Have an Enriched Basal and Immune Signature,” shows researchers have developed a fourth testing marker to complement the other three biomarker-based methods.

Dr. Clayton Yates, a professor of biology and director of Tuskegee University’s multidisciplinary Center for Biomedical Research, published the team's findings. Support for the research come through the National Cancer Institute’s Comprehensive Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity program, otherwise known as the U54 program.

“Scientifically speaking, our research suggests that the expression of the androgen receptor (the receptor for testosterone), should be added to the current set of prognostic markers — estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 — used to test for classify and determine the aggressiveness of breast cancer,” Yates said.

“As with any fight, you have to know your enemy. Imagine going into battle not knowing if you needed a BB gun, a shotgun, or a bazooka,” Yates said. “With this additional testing option, physicians will be able to better define the enemy and develop a more precise treatment plan. This, in turn, promises to be more effective for the patient — not to mention safer and less expensive — in the long run.”

Breast cancer currently is the second-most common cancer among females. The new testing method shows significant promise for detecting the most aggressive types of breast cancer, especially among black women. Black women are more likely than white women to be diagnosed at later stages in life and are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer after initial diagnosis.

Read more: Tuskegee University develops new breast cancer test

More Breast Cancers Diagnosed Early After "ObamaCare" Took Effect

MAYWOOD, Ill., June 23, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A Loyola University Chicago study published this month has found an increase in the percentage of breast cancer patients who were diagnosed in early Stage 1, after the Affordable Care Act took effect.

The increases in Stage 1 diagnoses were higher among African American and Latina breast cancer patients, compared to white patients.

The study by Abigail Silva, PhD, MPH, and colleagues is published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology. Silva is an assistant professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

The Affordable Care Act eliminated copayments and other out-of-pocket costs for 45 preventive care services, including mammograms. This made mammograms more affordable, potentially leading to earlier diagnoses.

The earlier cancer is detected, the more effectively it can be treated. Diagnosing breast cancer when it is still in Stage 1 could improve the prognosis for thousands of women and reduce the need for invasive treatments such as chemotherapy for a substantial number of women, Silva and colleagues wrote.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates nearly 253,000 women will be diagnosed this year.

Compared to white women, Latinas are less likely to receive mammograms overall and African Americans are less likely to receive mammograms at recommended intervals. Out-of-pocket payments have been identified as a potential barrier to getting screening mammograms.

The retrospective study included 470,465 breast cancer patients between the ages of 50 and 74 who were covered by private insurance or Medicare and were newly diagnosed with Stage 1-4 cancer. Researchers examined two time periods: 2007-2009 (before the Affordable Care Act took effect) and 2011-2013 (after the act took effect). Researchers obtained data from the National Cancer Database, which includes approximately 70 percent of all newly diagnosed cancers in the United States from about 1,500 hospitals.

Overall, the percentage of breast cancers that were diagnosed at Stage 1 increased 3.6 percentage points, from 54.4 percent to 58.0 percent. There was a corresponding decrease in Stage 2 and Stage 3 diagnoses, while the proportion of Stage 4 cancers did not change. The shift toward Stage 1 breast cancer diagnoses increased by 3.2 percentage points among whites, 4.0 percentage points among African Americans and 4.1 percentage points among Latinas.

Compared to African Americans and Latinas, a higher percentage of white breast cancer patients are diagnosed at Stage 1. This disparity decreased following the Affordable Care Act, as minorities saw modestly higher improvements in Stage 1 diagnoses.

Researchers concluded that further studies to evaluate the impact of the Affordable Care Act on cancer outcomes and disparities "should be supported as they will help inform future policy recommendations."

The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Avon Foundation.

The study is titled "Potential impact of the Affordable Care Act's preventive services provision on breast cancer stage: A preliminary assessment."

In addition to Silva, other co-authors are Talar Markossian, PhD, MPH, of Loyola's Department of Public Health Sciences; Yamile Molina, PhD, of the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and Nazia Saiyed, MPH, of the Sinai Urban Health Institute.

Black men, get screened for Prostate Cancer

An important message to black men on the importance of getting screened for Prostate Cancer.

Black doctors urge President Obama to ban menthol cigarettes

African-American doctors are calling on President Barack Obama to ban sales of menthol-flavored cigarettes, which government data show are heavily preferred among black smokers.

The African-American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, a nonprofit anti-smoking advocacy group, launched a public campaign this week asking Obama to direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to remove all so-called mentholated tobacco products from the marketplace.

The FDA found in 2013 that menthol cigarettes likely pose a greater public health risk than regular cigarettes, especially among African-Americans, but it stopped short of recommending a ban.

Read more: Black Doctors Call on Obama to Ban Menthol Tobacco Products

Genetic Breast Cancer More Common In African Americans

The BRCA (BReast CAncer Susceptibility Gene) was highlighted in the media when Angelina Jolie revealed she had a prophylactic double mastectomy after testing positive for this gene. Women with the BRCA gene have a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer than the general population. BRCA is responsible for 5-7% of breast cancers and about 10% of ovarian cancers.

Recently, a study found that African-American women with breast cancer are more likely than women in the general population to have genetic mutations linked to their disease, and some of those mutations extend beyond the common BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. In fact, 1 in 5 black women in this study had a BRCA mutation.

This new data can explain why black women have higher rates of breast cancer at young ages, more aggressive forms of breast cancer, and a worse chance of survival. Studies also reveal that African American women are less likely to be referred for genetic counseling even if they meet the criteria.

To better understand genetic breast cancer and your risk, here are the answers to some of the most asked questions:

Read more: Genetic Breast Cancer More Common In African Americans

Doctors hope to increase awareness of skin cancer risks for African-Americans

Doctors emphasize more than ever how important it is for people to protect their skin from the sun's damaging rays. That's especially true for African Americans. In some cases, melanoma may be even deadlier for those with darker skin.