Topic: Cancer Prevention
“Air Hits the Cancer and Spreads It”- A Dangerous Myth That Is Costing Black Lives
I have heard it in my office, in barbershops, and at family reunions. A patient gets a concerning lump or an abnormal scan result. Their doctor recommends a biopsy. And someone in the room — a cousin, a neighbor, an…
Probiotics and African American Health: What Your Gut Bacteria Say About Your Risk
Probiotics and African American health Probiotics are everywhere, from yogurt aisles to supplement shelves. They may help digestion, and researchers are finding that the bacteria living in our gut may influence the risk of colon cancer, a disease that hits…
Garlic and African American Health: Can It Replace Your Blood Pressure Medicine?
My African American patients are always talking about taking garlic rather than starting blood pressure or cholesterol-lowering medications. But what is the truth about the benefits of garlic? And how much should you take? Garlic does have real health benefits.…
Calcium and Prostate Cancer in Black Men: Why More Isn’t Better
Calcium and prostate cancer Black men should be cautious with calcium supplements and large amounts of dairy. Several studies have found that higher calcium intake is linked to a higher risk of advanced and aggressive prostate cancer, and the link…
Benefits of Zinc for African Americans: What It Does and How Much You Need
Zinc and infections Zinc is essential for a healthy immune system and for wound healing. African Americans face higher rates of many infections, including sexually transmitted diseases, bacterial vaginosis, HIV, and diabetes-related wound infections that can lead to amputations. Zinc…
Processed Meats and African American Health: Why the Hot Dog Is Hurting Us
What is a processed meat? In the health world, people are frequently told to cut back on “processed meats.” But what are processed meats? They are meats that have been salted, cured, smoked, or fermented, or had preservatives such as…
Lung Cancer in African Americans: Who Should Get Screened and Why It Matters
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and it hits Black men especially hard. Black men are more likely than White men to develop and die from lung cancer, even though they smoke fewer…
Preventing Breast Cancer in Black Women
Getting Breast Cancer Less, But Dying From it More Black women get breast cancer less often than White women yet they die from breast cancer at a much higher rate. How is that? They get breast cancer less, but die…
Colon Cancer in African Americans
Colon cancer has been called “the disease no one has to die from,” but African Americans continue to have the highest occurrence and the highest death rate compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Studies show that a Black man is 24 percent…
Continued Smoking After Cancer Raises Recurrence Risk
African American cancer survivors should make a deliberate effort to quit smoking. Continuing to smoke after a cancer diagnosis raises the risk of cancer recurrence and second cancers, and can make treatment less effective. A study from Wayne State in…
