White paper: Championing Black health equity in prostate cancer

Background: The Disparity in Prostate Cancer Outcomes

Men of Black African and Black African-Caribbean ancestry are at significantly greater risk of developing and dying from prostate cancer. Despite this, they remain underrepresented in clinical research, especially in Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs).

Contributing factors include:

• Later-stage diagnosis due to delayed screening
• Limited access to culturally competent healthcare
• Mistrust of medical institutions based on historical and systemic injustices
• Lack of targeted education and outreach efforts
• Absence from key datasets and research initiatives

Addressing these interconnected issues is essential for achieving equity in prostate cancer outcomes.

The EAU25 Roundtable: A Pivotal Moment

The roundtable session “Championing Black Health Equity in Prostate Cancer” at EAU25 was a landmark event. Moderated by Dr Eva McGrowder (Senior Trial Manager, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, UK), the session convened a diverse panel of experts and advocates:

• Professor James N’Dow – EAU Adjunct Secretary General-Education, Director, Academic Urology Unit, University of Aberdeen (UK)
• Mr Oliver Kemp – CEO, Prostate Cancer Research (UK)
• Ms Amy Rylance – Assistant Director of Health Improvement, Prostate Cancer UK (UK)
• Mr Keith Morgan – Associate Director of Black Health Equity, Prostate Cancer UK (UK)
• Mr Jeff Thompson – Prostate cancer survivor and Founder, Cancer Don’t Let It Win (UK)
• Ms Shelby Moneer – Vice President of Patient Programs & Education, ZERO Prostate Cancer (USA)

This gathering provided a rare space for patients, clinicians, researchers, and charities—both grassroots and national—to listen, learn, and collaborate.

“The roundtable marked a pivotal moment in the movement toward health equity, uniting grassroots charities dedicated to addressing disparities in education and access, with larger organisations, patients, and clinicians—all with a shared goal of transforming outcomes for Black men at higher risk of prostate cancer.” — Eva McGrowder, Senior Trial Manager, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

“It was very timely to highlight this important topic at such a monumental audience at this congress. Topics discussed prompted key questions, shared learnings and further discussion points from both patients and clinicians in the audience from multiple countries, thus further emphasising the need to work towards change as this is a global issue. Feedback from this roundtable was very positive and it sets a blueprint to build upon for future projects that can lead to policy changes and ultimately improve experiences of not just patients, clinicians, but also individuals trying to navigate their prostate cancer risk.”

“The round table provided me with a valuable platform to share what it’s like from the perspective of someone with lived experience after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. I emphasised that treatment does not end there—side effects can persist for a long time, sometimes even for years. Additionally, I highlighted that being Black does not mean we are all the same, and each person's experience is unique.” — Jeff Thompson, Prostate cancer survivor and Founder, Cancer Don’t Let It Win

“Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of death for Black men (compared to seventh for white men). We can’t change Black men’s chance of diagnosis, but diagnosed early prostate cancer is highly treatable. We can and must reduce the numbers of Black men who die from the disease. The roundtable was an important opportunity to understand the issues and explore how to save more lives.” — Amy Rylance, Assistant Director of Health Improvement, Prostate Cancer UK

It was great to see charities, patients, and scientists come together on an international stage to confront the systemic inequalities that have been ignored for too long. We spoke openly about trust, data, and access but most importantly, we focused on action. It was an honour to contribute” — Oliver Kemp, CEO, Prostate Cancer Research

The Diversity in Prostate Cancer PROMS Study

In direct response to the need for more inclusive research, the EAU Patient Office has initiated the Diversity in Prostate Cancer PROMS Study, designed in collaboration with The Oncogenetics Team at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, UK.

Study Goals:

• Ensure Black men’s experiences are captured in PROMs
• Identify culturally specific barriers to care and screening
• Develop evidence-based recommendations to inform clinical guidelines and public health strategies
• Key Stakeholders:
• Cancer Black Care (CBC) (UK)
• CanSurvive UK (UK)
• Cancer Don’t Let It Win (CDLIW) (UK)
• Cancer UK Salone (Sierra Leone)
• Errol McKellar Foundation (UK)
• Friends of Caswell Thompson (FOCT) (UK)
• Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG) (Brazil)
• ORCHID (UK)
• Prostate Cancer Foundation Suriname (Suriname)
• Prostate Cancer UK (PCUK) (UK)
• Prostate Cancer Research (PCR) (UK)
• Rose Thompson Foundation (UK)
• Tackle Prostate Cancer (UK)
• The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust (UK)
• ZERO Prostate Cancer (USA)

These organisations are instrumental in outreach, content co-creation, and ensuring the study resonates with and reaches the intended communities.

Conclusion

The roundtable at EAU25 and the launch of the Diversity in Prostate Cancer PROMS Study signal a turning point. By working in partnership—across institutions, borders, and communities—we have an opportunity to create lasting change that ensures Black men are no longer left behind in prostate cancer care and outcomes.

Health equity is not optional. It is essential.

We gratefully acknowledge AstraZeneca for their financial support in organising the roundtable session and for enabling the launch of the Diversity in Prostate Cancer PROMS Study.