In this MD Newsline exclusive interview with cancer researcher Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green, Ph.D., we discuss how to improve messaging on prostate cancer screening, breast cancer screening, and cervical cancer screening for African Americans.
MD Newsline:
How might we improve messaging surrounding prostate cancer screening, breast cancer screening, and cervical cancer screening?
Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green, Ph.D.:
“The messaging for breast, prostate, and cervical cancer screening can be drastically improved to encourage people to recognize that early detection saves lives. A lot of times, people think what they don’t know won’t hurt them, and that’s just not true.
We need to understand that there are disparities in the ages that African Americans are diagnosed with cancer compared to other groups. I think we need to consider looking at screening African Americans earlier than the recommended ages for these cancers and other cancers. And there are a lot of advocacy groups in the African American community who see these diagnoses being made at very early ages.
I’m currently 40 years old, and I know several of my peers who have already faced some very devastating cancer diagnoses and have already passed from cancer. So I think it’s important for us to advocate for earlier cancer screening for African Americans specifically because of their earlier ages of diagnosis.”
Responses have been condensed and lightly edited.
