African American Men 2.5 Times More Likely to Die from Prostate Cancer

Disease Now Accounts for 42 Percent of New Prostate Cancer Cases among Black Men

Prostate cancer continues to increase its death grip on African American men as about 1,000 black men are expected to die this year from the disease.

The new numbers from the American Cancer Society's 2005-06 Facts and Figures for African Americans show that the mortality rate of African Americans with prostate cancer versus Caucasians has increased from 2:1 to 2.4:1, the highest ratio ever tracked for the disease.

The devastating statistics come right before National Minority Cancer Awareness Week, April 17-23.

Research has shown a number of factors that start to explain why African Americans are disproportionately affected by prostate cancer. It's widely believed African Americans metabolize testosterone in the prostate differently from white men