Comparison of response to definitive radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer in black and white men

Black men have a 2-fold increased risk of dying from prostate cancer compared with white men. Meta-analysis of 7 randomized trials (8814 patients), evaluating definitive radiotherapy with or without androgen deprivation therapy for localized prostate cancer, found that at enrollment, black compared with white patients were more likely to have high-risk disease features. However, even without adjustment, black men were less likely to experience a biochemical recurrence, distant metastasis, and prostate cancer-specific mortality event than white men. The authors conclude that access to care could be a source of racial disparity in outcomes of localized prostate cancer.