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Study: Neighborhood affects prostate cancer risk in men of West African ancestry

Black men of West African genetic ancestry have a much higher risk of developing prostate cancer than men of other races. The risk is even greater when they live in deprived or disadvantaged neighborhoods.  (Posted 2/26/25)

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RELEVANCE

Most relevant for: Men with West African ancestry.

It may also be relevant for:

  • healthy people with average cancer risk

Relevance: Medium-High

Strength of Science: Medium-High

Relevance rating details

What is this study about?

This study looked at why Black men are more likely to develop and die of cancer than men of other races. Researchers looked at genetics and neighborhood factors to see how they affect prostate cancer risk. They found that men of West African ancestry were at greater risk of prostate cancer. They also found that neighborhoods can significantly impact Black men’s chance of getting prostate cancer.

Why is this study important?

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States. Black men with West African genetic ancestry are more likely to develop prostate cancer and are twice as likely to die of the disease. Most Black people in the United States are of West African genetic ancestry, which has been shown by international studies to increase the risk of prostate cancer.

Research also links where people live with their risk of developing or dying of prostate cancer. People who live in economically struggling neighborhoods have a higher risk of the disease. These individuals are more likely to lack regular work, stable housing and enough to eat—all factors that increase individual and community stress. These neighborhoods are sometimes described as deprived or suffering from deprivation.

This study is the first to look at how West African genetic ancestry and neighborhood deprivation combine to affect prostate cancer risk.

Study findings

This study involved 1,469 participants from Baltimore, with 733 identifying as Black and 736 as white.  The average age of participants was just under 65. Study participants were enrolled in the NCI-Maryland Prostate Cancer Case-Control study, research that compares people with prostate cancer to a control group of people of the same ages and race. The research team followed participants for 15 years and used testing to determine West African ancestry.

First, the researchers wanted to determine if there was a link between West African ancestry and prostate cancer. They found that having West African genetic ancestry increased the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Next, the researchers looked at both genetics and neighborhoods.

Neighborhood was measured using a neighborhood deprivation index (NDI) score that included factors such as:

  • Percentage of households in poverty
  • Percentage of households headed by women with children
  • Percentage of households on public assistance
  • Percentage of households earning less than $30,000 a year
  • Percentage of unemployed people
  • Percentage of people in managerial jobs

A higher NDI percentage means that a neighborhood faces more challenges that can lead to stress for the community. Living in an area with high NDI was a risk factor for prostate cancer regardless of ancestry. In other words, neighborhood deprivation can affect prostate cancer risk regardless of ancestry.

Among study participants living in neighborhoods with a high NDI, having West African ancestry was associated with an greater increased risk of developing prostate cancer.

  • Specifically, men with West African genetic ancestry are nearly twice as likely to develop prostate cancer if they live in a neighborhood with a high NDI as other men from that neighborhood.
     
  • Among study participants living in neighborhoods with medium to low levels of NDI, having West African ancestry was associated with a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer. Specifically, men with West African genetic ancestry who live in neighborhoods with medium to low NDI have an almost 80% lower risk of developing the disease.

There was no link between neighborhoods and death from prostate cancer.

The lead authors suggest that people who live in wealthier neighborhoods may have some protection against prostate cancer risk but not against prostate cancer deaths.