African American Awareness

June 25, 2004 —The Foundation For Cancer Research and Education (FCRE) is proud to announce its second awareness campaign for prostate cancer prevention, specifically designed for black men. FCRE is asking every man with prostate cancer to tell at least on black man under 35 about the possible link between prostate cancer and vitamin D deficiency.

According to the American Cancer Society, black men are one and a half times more likely to get prostate cancer and two to three times more likely to die from it. FCRE leader, Dr. Charles "Snuffy" Myers suggests that vitamin D deficiency could be a main factor. "Research strongly suggests that this may be the case," Myers says. "And calcitriol is the culprit."

Calcitriol is the active form of vitamin D in the body, and researchers have shown that high calcitriol levels suppress prostate cancer. In fact, men with low calcitriol levels also have a greater risk of developing prostate cancer as well as diabetes, hypertension, and insulin resistance.

"This is how it fits together," Myers says. "Our bodies create vitamin D3 when sunlight strikes the skin. However, it seems that sun block or darkly pigmented skin reduces the amount of vitamin D3 the body can create and, thus, reduces calcitriol levels. With these givens, it's likely that vitamin D deficiency may explain why prostate cancer incidence and death rates are much higher for blacks than whites."

One study done on African American women suggests the same thing; almost 50 percent of the women in this study were vitamin D deficient. And even in sunny states like North Carolina, vitamin D deficiency is quite common in young African Americans. Considering this information, darkly skinned men of Indian and Islamic descent could be at risk as well.

"It's interesting," Myers says. "Some of the lowest vitamin D3 levels ever measured were in Arab women living in Denmark and other European cities, probably because their veils cut them off from the sun. It all makes sense if you think about it."

In addition to the healthy diet Myers advocates for prostate cancer prevention (see cancer-foundation.org), he recommends that African Americans consume 600-800 IU of vitamin D3 a day. As part of this out reach campaign, FCRE also recommends that black men advise at least one black male of the risks of diet and prostate cancer (see cancer-foundation.org) and to stress the need for PSA testing in black men 35 and older. "Taking preventative steps now can add years to your life," Myers says.

Myers adds, "The term African American may be misleading, however. The link between vitamin D and prostate cancer doesn't apply to Americans exclusively. In the interest of the international prostate cancer community, we feel the power of this message needs to expand past our own geographic boundaries to dark-skinned and sunlight-deprived people around the globe."

FCRE is dedicated to educating prostate cancer patients with the most current information possible. Founded by medical oncologist, nutrition expert, and prostate cancer survivor Dr. Charles "Snuffy" Myers, FCRE is engaged in several outreach and conference programs that bring Dr. Myers' years of experience to the general public. An experienced scientist, Myers was a key player in creating AZT, Suramin, and Phenylacetate while working at the National Institute of Health. Myers has published his research in over 250 reputable periodicals. Formerly the Director of the Cancer Center at the University of Virginia, he has created FCRE to educate patients and to dispel the myth that a cancer diagnosis is a death sentence. In fact, FCRE (www.cancer-foundation.org) was set up to educate patients with the essential health information that has saved his own life.

Contact:
Rod Schecter
Ad/Marketing Consultant
Foundation For Cancer Research & Education
690 Bent Oaks Dr.
Earlysville, VA 22936
434-974-1303 ext. 2
rod@prostateforum.com

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