Racial/Ethnic Disparity in Treatment for Prostate Cancer: Does Cancer Severity Matter?

Objective: To determine if there are variations in the receipt of treatment based on race and disease severity. Treatment variations in men with prostate cancer (PCa) among the various racial groups in the United States exist, which may be a source of potential disparity in outcome.

Methods: Utilizing Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results 17, we identified 327,636 men diagnosed with PCa from 2004 to 2011.

Racial/ethnic differences in the relative risk of receipt of specific treatment among men with prostate cancer.

Objective: African-American (AA) men have excess mortality from prostate cancer compared with White men, which has remained unchanged over several decades. The purpose of this study is to determine if race/ethnicity is an independent predictor of receipt of any definitive treatment vs. watchful waiting/active surveillance (WW/AS).

Experiences of Uncertainty in Men With an Elevated PSA.

A significant proportion of men, ages 50 to 70 years, have, and continue to receive prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests to screen for prostate cancer (PCa). Approximately 70% of men with an elevated PSA level will not subsequently be diagnosed with PCa. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 men with an elevated PSA level who had not been diagnosed with PCa.

The ties that bind: perceived social support, stress, and IBS in severely affected patients.

Background: This study assessed the association between social support and the severity of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms in a sample of severely affected IBS patients recruited to an NIH-funded clinical trial. In addition, we examined if the effects of social support on IBS pain are mediated through the effects on stress.

Methods: Subjects were 105 Rome II diagnosed IBS patients (F = 85%) who completed seven questionnaires which were collected as part of a pretreatment baseline assessment.