Last month, Powell got the word he had been waiting for. Notably, black researchers will lead the study in every way, from recruiting men to analyzing genetic patterns. That's a first, Powell said. The study, funded by the National Cancer Institute and the Human Genome Project, is being conducted in Detroit, Chicago, Washington, D.C., New York City, Houston, Atlanta, and the state of South Carolina. It began in Detroit last month, with speeches like the one Powell gave at Hartford.
Black men have the highest rates of the disease of any group in the world.
A hereditary form is two times more prevalent. Black men also have a higher incidence of a genetic abnormality that's associated with more aggressive forms of prostate cancer, Powell said. In the tri county Detroit area, prostate cancer occurs in 131 out of every 100,000 white residents. But among black people the rate jumps to 223 per 100,000. Excess fat in the diet, particularly saturated forms, may contribute to prostate cancer.