Black men on facing prostate cancer

Real men.
Real stories.

Black Men on Facing Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer will affect 1 in 6 Black men. Two men share their unique perspective as Black men living with the disease. Watch their story.

CHUCK: It’s important to me to try to reach out to the Black community concerning prostate cancer.

So, what I try to do whenever I get a chance is I speak at churches and try to share at churches, because that’s the one place where I find it’s easier to reach more men of color.

And that’s why I try to do that as often as I can.

Because about 1 in 6 are going to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

EUVON: It’s hard getting the message out. And one of the reasons it’s hard getting the message out because first off, men... we don’t..., we hold it tight to the hip. We don’t like anybody telling us something’s wrong. And then you take it, gauge it up the next level. Black men, we are, nobody likes to say it, but we’re very proud.

We don’t like to come to the table and have anybody tell us that something might be going on wrong. So, we find it, the hardest part for us is humility. But a lot of men are not open.

CHUCK: A lot of Black men just do not, they don’t trust the doctors, they don’t trust the systems, they don’t trust it. So, they avoid doctors at all costs. And that’s unfortunate because it can be very helpful, but it’s a lack of trust. And if we can do something to help with that trust factor.

CHUCK: Since my diagnosis, I’ve learned I’ve had to force myself to trust more.

EUVON: Yeah.

CHUCK: So, I had to learn to trust, because it didn’t come easily. My wife, who’s a nurse, really, really pushed me into getting evaluated and things like that. But yeah, going through this has definitely really helped me to trust. Now, I want to tell as many men as possible that there is hope.

EUVON: So, the reality of the trust factor comes from you got to have somebody, your oncologist, your urologist, somebody, and I don’t care what color they are, they have to be your guy or your lady that comes in and steps in with you and makes that difference.

CHUCK: Right.

EUVON: That’s the reality. We have to come to the table. So, the trust factor is a big deal, but when you can trust that doctor, then you know that they’re going to go all the way with you.

CHUCK: One thing I’ve found is that over the years of me growing up, I lost family members to prostate cancer and I didn’t know it because men, we’re so quiet, so private about what they were going through. So there are a lot, especially a lot of Black men, they don’t want to talk about prostate cancer because first thing they think about is that my manhood is being affected by this cancer.

And nobody... they don’t want anybody to know that they’re having trouble in that area... so, that’s the most important thing, I think, is to go ahead and get checked.

EUVON: It’s not about us.

CHUCK: Right.

EUVON: It’s about somebody else.

CHUCK: Absolutely. Absolutely.

EUVON: In reference to that diagnosis… I had great access to great doctors, but I had a career, and that man thing called me out and that man thing being my job, my profession, orchestrating and doing my business, working 24/7, six days a week. Always concerned about taking care of the family and the kids, but never thinking about, “Hey, you need to go in and get a checkup, because your concern with the family starts with you being concerned about yourself.” So, when I went in to get diagnosed, I didn’t even know what a prostate was. You talking about prostate cancer? I didn’t know.

CHUCK: I didn’t know either.

EUVON: I’m like all these other men. When you say “prostate,” I thought we were saying “prostrate.”

CHUCK: I know.

EUVON: What do you do? So...

CHUCK: That’s right.

EUVON: ... this thing is, we choose to be uninformed. So that reality, once you go in and then you found out your numbers are way off the chart, and then you start looking at, as you said with your family, my dad, he had six brothers, my dad, two of his brothers, prostate cancer.

CHUCK: I would encourage everybody, every man out there to get their prostate checked. And if you’re a man of color, I would suggest you do it by age 40.

EUVON: Yes, sir.

CHUCK: Absolutely.

EUVON: Yes, sir.

CHUCK: I strongly suggest that all Black men get their PSA numbers checked.

EUVON: Black men are nearly two times more susceptible of dying from prostate cancer. That’s why it is so important to get in the game, get screened at 40, and be proactive in reference to this disease.

AVO: Keep watching to learn about uses of XTANDI for treatment of prostate cancer and Important Safety Information.

What is XTANDI?

XTANDI (enzalutamide) is a prescription medicine used to treat men with prostate cancer that:

  • no longer responds to a hormone therapy or surgical treatment to lower testosterone

OR

  • has spread to other parts of the body and responds to a hormone therapy or surgical treatment to lower testosterone

OR

  • has not spread to other parts of the body and responds to a hormone therapy or surgical treatment to lower testosterone, and who are at high risk of cancer spreading to other parts of the body

It is not known if XTANDI is safe and effective in females or children.

Important Safety Information

What should I tell my doctor before taking XTANDI?

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you:

  • Have a history of seizures, brain injury, stroke, or brain tumors.
  • Have a history of heart disease, have high blood pressure, or have abnormal amounts of fat or cholesterol in your blood (dyslipidemia).
  • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. XTANDI can cause harm to your unborn baby and loss of pregnancy (miscarriage).
  • Have a partner who is pregnant or may become pregnant.
    • Males who have female partners who are able to become pregnant should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with XTANDI and for 3 months after the last dose.
    • Males must use a condom during sex with a pregnant female.
  • Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if XTANDI passes into your breast milk.
  • Take other medicines. XTANDI may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how XTANDI works. These include prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Do not start or stop any medicine without talking to your doctor.

How should I take XTANDI?

  • Take XTANDI exactly as your doctor tells you. Take your prescribed dose once a day, at the same time each day. XTANDI can be taken with or without food. Swallow XTANDI capsules or tablets whole with enough water to make sure that you can swallow all of the medicine successfully. Do not chew, dissolve, or open the capsules. Do not cut, crush or chew the tablets. Your doctor may change your dose if needed. Your doctor may also change your pill size or stop treatment if you have swallowing problems.
  • Do not change or stop taking your prescribed dose of XTANDI without talking with your doctor first.
  • If you are receiving gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) therapy, you should continue with this treatment while taking XTANDI unless you have had surgery to lower the amount of testosterone in your body (surgical castration).
  • If you miss a dose of XTANDI: Take your prescribed dose as soon as you remember that day. If you miss your daily dose, take your prescribed dose at your regular time the next day. Do not take more than your prescribed dose of XTANDI each day.
  • If you take too much XTANDI: Call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room right away. You may have an increased risk of seizure if you take too much XTANDI.

What are the possible side effects of XTANDI?

XTANDI may cause serious side effects including:

  • Seizure. If you take XTANDI, you may be at risk of having a seizure. Avoid activities where a sudden loss of consciousness could seriously harm you or someone else. Tell your doctor right away if you lose consciousness or have a seizure.
  • Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES). If you take XTANDI you may be at risk of developing a condition involving the brain called PRES. Tell your doctor right away if you have a seizure or quickly worsening symptoms such as headache, decreased alertness, confusion, reduced eyesight, blurred vision or other visual problems. Your doctor will do a test to check for PRES.
  • Allergic Reactions. Allergic reactions have happened in people who take XTANDI. Stop taking XTANDI and get medical help right away if you develop swelling of the face, tongue, lip or throat.
  • Heart Disease. Blockage of the arteries in the heart (ischemic heart disease) that can lead to death has happened in some people during treatment with XTANDI. Your doctor will monitor you for signs and symptoms of heart problems during your treatment. Call your doctor or go to the emergency room right away if you get chest pain or discomfort at rest or with activity or shortness of breath during your treatment with XTANDI.
  • Falls and Bone Fractures. XTANDI treatment may increase your risk for falls and bone fractures. Falls were not caused by loss of consciousness or seizures. Your doctor will monitor your risks for falls and bone fractures during treatment with XTANDI.
  • Swallowing Problems or Choking. Severe swallowing problems or choking, including life-threatening problems or death can happen in people during treatment with XTANDI, because of the size of the XTANDI capsules and tablets. Swallow each XTANDI capsule or tablet whole with enough water to make sure that you can swallow all of the medicine successfully.

Your doctor will stop treatment with XTANDI if you have serious side effects.

The most common side effects of XTANDI include:

  • Muscle and joint pain
  • Feeling more tired than usual
  • Hot flashes
  • Constipation
  • Decreased appetite
  • Diarrhea
  • High blood pressure
  • Bleeding problems
  • Falls
  • Bone fractures
  • Headache

XTANDI may cause fertility problems in males, which may affect the ability to father children. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about fertility.

These are not all the possible side effects of XTANDI. For more information, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

For further information, please talk to your doctor and read the Patient Information and Full Prescribing Information for XTANDI on XTANDI.com

The patients featured in these videos are taking or have taken XTANDI®. Astellas and Pfizer compensated these patients to share their stories. Their experiences were accurate at the time of publication and may have since changed.

Select Safety Information

The most common side effects of XTANDI include: muscle and joint pain, feeling more tired than usual, hot flashes, constipation, decreased appetite, diarrhea, high blood pressure, bleeding problems, falls, bone fractures, and headache. Learn more

Learn more about XTANDI

Watch more stories

Different patients share their perspectives on how XTANDI fits into their treatment goals.

Sign up for support emails and resources

We’re here for you with tools, tips, information, and support

When to ask your doctor about XTANDI

Learn how XTANDI may fit into your treatment goals