National PROstate Cancer Campaign

NEW YORK, July 24, 2001 -- New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani today kicked off the national PROstate Health Campaign with the release of a nationwide survey of men's awareness and attitudes about prostate cancer. The survey and campaign, sponsored by the Partnership for Prostate Health, are intended to bridge the awareness gap that exists between what men know and what they do. The national survey of 1500 men over 35 found that 92 percent of the respondents recognized that prostate cancer is as serious a threat for men as breast cancer is for women-198,000 men will be diagnosed and 31,500 will die from prostate cancer this year-but only 19 percent of undiagnosed men have discussed the threat of prostate cancer with their physicians in the past 12 months.

"Increased awareness and education help men make better decisions about their own prostate health," said Mayor Giuliani, the chairperson of the PROstate Health Campaign. "The results of this survey demonstrate how fear and myths about prostate cancer keep men from turning awareness into action. As a man who has been directly affected by prostate cancer, I understand how information can be in making treatment decisions."

The survey, released by the Partnership for Prostate Health - a coalition of the Alliance for Aging Research, the National Council on the Aging (NCOA), the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC), and Theragenics Corporation -- points to men's high levels of awareness about the seriousness of prostate cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death among American men. Two-thirds of all men surveyed identified prostate cancer as either the first or second leading cause of cancer death among men. However, most men felt their personal chances of developing prostate cancer are remote, with 58 percent of undiagnosed men-regardless of ethnicity, marital status, or income-reporting that it is "not very likely" or "not at all likely" they would get prostate cancer.

"Men know prostate cancer is a disease that kills, but they keep thinking, 'it won't happen to me,'" said Jim Firman, CEO of the National Council on the Aging. "Prostate cancer is a disease that is often thought of as happening only to 'other older men', yet it still affects men in their younger, prime-working years." The survey found that close to one-fifth of respondents who had not yet been tested for prostate cancer said they were "too young" to worry about it.

African American men aware of their increased risk
Of the undiagnosed men interviewed, African Americans were far more likely than Caucasians to report that prostate cancer was a "significant health concern" and half of African American respondents correctly acknowledged that African American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer. This awareness translates into more active health-seeking behavior for African American men as compared to other groups. Twice as many undiagnosed African American men than Caucasian men reported discussing prostate cancer with a physician in the past 12 months. Similarly, African American men were more likely to report changes in lifestyle as a result of information they heard or saw about prostate cancer.

Hispanic men least likely to address their prostate health
Undiagnosed Hispanic men paid the least amount of attention to their prostate health. Only 1.5 percent of undiagnosed Hispanic males reported discussing prostate cancer with a doctor in the past 12 months. Additionally, compared to both Caucasian men and African American men, significantly fewer Hispanic men have been tested for prostate cancer (66 percent, 68 percent and 49 percent respectively).

Men are uninformed about screening and treatment options
Overall, misconceptions and lack of knowledge about screening and treatment options were not limited to any particular group of men. Only 4 percent of men correctly stated that there are no "early warning signs" of prostate cancer. "Men who wait until troubling symptoms appear before seeing a doctor or getting tested are putting themselves at serious risk, " said Dr. Richard Atkins, Vice Chairman and COO of the National Prostate Cancer Coalition. "By the time prostate cancer produces detectable symptoms, such as difficulty urinating, pain in the genital area, or impotence, there is a good chance the cancer is in a more advanced stage where men have fewer treatment options." One-third of all undiagnosed men could not name a single treatment for prostate cancer and almost half of them could not identify any of the possible side effects of treatments.

Fear drives decisions about prostate cancer
Fear and embarrassment also played a significant role in men's prostate health behavior. The greatest fears about prostate cancer among undiagnosed men were the loss of life (63%) and side effects of treatment (11%), namely impotence and incontinence.

The campaign's honorary Chair, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, hosted today's event designed to bring greater awareness to the issue of prostate cancer. "We're delighted that Mayor Giuliani has joined us in this effort," said Christine Jacobs, CEO of Theragenics Corporation. "He continues to serve as a shining example of how men can serve as their own best health advocates."

Today's event at the NYSE marks the beginning of the PROstate Health Campaign, sponsored by the Partnership for Prostate Health. The campaign is intended to raise awareness about prostate cancer, encourage screening and educate men about treatment options.