A new study suggests that living in disadvantaged neighborhoods may contribute to higher rates of aggressive prostate cancer in African American men. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, reveals a significant link between neighborhood disadvantage and increased activity of stress-related genes in prostate tumors.
African American men face a disproportionate burden of prostate cancer, with a higher incidence and more than twice the mortality rate compared to white men in the U.S. The study, co-led by the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Virginia Commonwealth University, analyzed tumor tissue from 218 men with prostate cancer, including 168 African American patients.
Researchers found that neighborhood disadvantage was associated with higher expression of stress-related genes, particularly those linked to inflammation and the serotonin pathway. Dr. Kathryn Hughes Barry, the study’s senior author, explained, “Our findings suggest an impact of living in disadvantaged neighborhoods—which more commonly affects African Americans—on stress-related genetic pathways in the body.”
The study highlights the complex interplay between environment and genes in cancer health disparities. Dr. Mark T. Gladwin, Dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, emphasized the importance of developing interventions to improve the health of minority populations.
While the research provides new insights into the biological mechanisms behind prostate cancer disparities, the authors call for larger studies to further investigate the relationships between neighborhood factors, individual-level factors, and tumor biology to inform interventions aimed at reducing these disparities.
See “Stress-related genes may contribute to aggressive prostate cancer in African American men” (July 12, 2024)
