One Thing Is Keeping Black Men Out of Life-Saving Prostate Cancer Trials

It’s an unnerving fact that Black males have the highest incidence and mortality rates from prostate cancer of any racial group in the United States — yet they’re still underrepresented in prostate cancer clinical trials.  Every year, the American Cancer Society gives estimates on new cancer cases and deaths. In 2025, they estimate that approximately 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed, and about 35,770 deaths will occur due to prostate cancer. They also reported there has been a decline in the number of prostate cancer diagnoses from 2007 to 2014, which they attribute to improved screening recommendations that now require men to be screened less frequently.  However, life-saving clinical trials are often left on the table for Black men, leaving them the most vulnerable to advanced cancer and potentially death—and the research is clear and somewhat damning. What the Research Shows Recent statistics show that Black men are more likely to die from prostate cancer than any other racial group in the United States. In response,  the Prostate Health Education Network (PHEN) surveyed its members about their experiences with prostate cancer clinical trials. Led by Black physician Dr. Keith Crawford, the Director of Clinical Trials and Patient...