Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública (Nov 2018)

Does a family history of prostate cancer affect screening behavior in Jamaican men?

  • Belinda F. Morrison,
  • Yulit Gordon

DOI
https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2018.143
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 42
pp. 1 – 6

Abstract

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Objective. To determine 1) the characteristics of males with a family history of prostate cancer who presented for screening and 2) the association between family history and diagnosis of prostate cancer in a cohort of screened Jamaican men. Methods. The study consisted of a prospective cohort of black men who screened at the Jamaica Cancer Society in Kingston between 2006 and 2016. Data were collected on: 1) age at screening and age at diagnosis of prostate cancer, 2) family history of prostate cancer, and 3) prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination (DRE) findings. Results. Approximately 600 (21.4%) of screened men who reported data on family history (2 791 / 2 867) said they had a family history of prostate cancer. Men with a family history of prostate cancer 1) commenced screening at a younger age than men without a family history (P <0.001) and 2) tended to have a younger age at diagnosis of prostate cancer (P = 0.262). There was no significantly increased risk of prostate cancer in men with a reported family history of prostate cancer (odds ratio: 1.4; 95% confidence interval: 0.821–2.386; P = 0.217). Conclusions. Men with a family history of prostate cancer presented frequently for screening and earlier than those without. There was a lack of association between family history of prostate cancer and diagnosis. Further studies are needed to investigate this association and validate family histories.

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