The Hidden Threat to Black Men’s Health

Anissa Durham, Word in Black

James Miller Jr.’s dream of being a homeowner had finally come true — which meant a trip to  Home Depot for supplies. As he walked the aisles of the home improvement store, his phone rang. It was his doctor with news no one wants to hear: Miller had stage four metastatic prostate cancer. 

Miller’s story isn’t unique — it’s an epidemic hiding in plain sight. Black men face the highest rate of prostate cancer diagnosis of any racial or ethnic group in America. They’re diagnosed at later stages, often when treatment options narrow. They’re twice as likely to die from the disease compared to white men. These deaths are largely preventable. Yet in California, where Miller lives, no legislation specifically addresses prostate cancer screening or prevention.

The statistics are sobering: One in eight Black men will develop prostate cancer, compared to one in 12 white men. Black men are also diagnosed younger. That’s why the American Cancer Society recommends African American men start screening at 45 — five years earlier than everyone else.

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