Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer in West African Men: The Prostate Cancer Transatlantic Consortium (CaPTC) Cohort Study

Prostate cancer (CaP) has been identified as the most common cancer among men globally with higher prevalence, incidence and mortality rates in black men. This study aims to assess the risk factors for CaP among West African men residing in Nigeria, Cameroun and the United States. A validated CaPTC familial cohort study questionnaire was used to collect data on the respondents’ characteristics, alcohol consumption pattern, smoking pattern, knowledge of CaP, physical activity level and cancer status. Anthropometric measurements were taken using standard procedures. Data was summarised using descriptive statistics and penalized maximum likelihood logistic regression analysis via Firth method was used to determine association between CaP status and independent variables. The results show that 2.21% reported to have been diagnosed of CaP out of which 90.91% resides in Nigeria. Median age of the respondents is 47 years, 62.21% had poor knowledge of CaP, and 17.11% had central obesity.  More than half (62.07%) of the study participants currently drink alcohol, 24.4% are current smokers and 51.5% engage in low physical activity. Number of daughters (OR=1.2435, 95%CI: 1.0045, 1.5393), consistent alcohol drinkers in years (OR=1.0484, 95%CI: 1.0151, 1.0829) and glasses of drink on a typical occasion (OR=1.2145, 95%CI: 1.0560, 1.3968) were associated with CaP status. In the multiple logistic regression, only number of daughters (OR=1.2531, 95%CI: 1.0055, 1.5617) is associated with CaP status. In conclusion, poor knowledge of CaP was observed among the respondents. Alcohol consumption, increased number of glasses of alcohol consumed on typical occasion and increasing number of daughters are associated with CaP status and increased risk of the disease.