Dr. John Oertle of Envita Medical Centers Addresses Prostate Cancer Disparity in Black Men on Healthleaders

Proactive screening and personalized treatment measures may go a long way in reducing prostate cancer deaths, which is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American men. On Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. John Oertle, Chief Medical Director, Envita Medical Centers, a Center of Excellence for precision integrative oncology, highlighted the need for Black men to start screening at the age of 40.

In an article published by Healthleaders, Dr. Oertle said, “Black men have a higher likelihood of having the genetic predisposition of BRCA1, which has been associated with a higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.” His team at Envita Medical Centers has been working extensively for over two decades to revolutionize cancer care. They provide personalized treatments for each individual patient, based on their genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and multiple other factors. With this individualized approach, the Envita team has been able to help numerous late-stage cancer patients, who were left with limited options in other cancer facilities.

“Healthcare providers such as health systems, primary care doctors, and urologists that do screening for prostate cancer also need to understand the increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer among Black men,” added Dr. Oertle. Along with early screening, he also emphasized the need for a personalized and proactive treatment approach, going beyond the standard one-size-fits-all regimens, based on basic factors like cancer stage and type.

To know more about ways to bridge disparities and reduce cancer deaths, read this article.