Racial variation in cancer care: a case study of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of several cancers that affects U.S. racial and ethnic groups differently with Blacks experiencing a higher incidence and mortality rate than Whites. Observational studies indicate that black patients with prostate cancer are less likely to receive definitive therapy. This pattern of care appears to be attributable primarily to the later clinical stage of disease at presentation; socioeconomic considerations as such relate to access to care (e.g., ability to pay) appear to play a lesser role. Other patient related factors, for example, preferences for certain therapies, have not been well studied; consequently, their ability to explain racial variations in use of therapies for this disease is unclear. Potential areas for future research should focus on the reasons for the detection of the disease at a later clinical stage and, hence, with worse prognosis.