Prostate Cancer: Time for a New Global Initiative

PRESS RELEASE
G. Lawrence DeMarco, LLM
Email: info@menandboys.net
Phone: +1-215-901-1930

Prostate Cancer: Time for a New Global Initiative

July 3, 2025 – Within the past 4 months, prominent men around the world from politics, media, and entertainment have recently revealed their battles to conquer prostate cancer: Joe Biden (1), Dermot Murnaghan (2), Jay Harris (3), Colin Egglesfield (4), Gerry Turner (5), and Giles Coren (6).

The Global Action on Men’s Health (GAMH) has issued a powerful new report calling for urgent international action to address the growing crisis of prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer: Time for a New Global Initiative urges governments and health systems around the world to prioritize this leading male cancer through targeted policy, improved detection, and equitable care (7).

Prostate cancer is now the second most diagnosed cancer among men globally and the fifth leading cause of male cancer deaths (8). Yet, in most countries, prostate cancer remains absent from national cancer strategies and overlooked in broader public health planning—especially in lower-income regions where diagnosis often comes too late for effective treatment (9).

The GAMH report identifies three major challenges:

Sharp Increases in Incidence: Rising life expectancy and improved diagnostic capacity are contributing to a rapid increase in global prostate cancer cases, with the heaviest burdens in under-resourced health systems (10).
Deep Health Disparities: Men from disadvantaged backgrounds and racial minorities, particularly Black men, face higher risks and worse outcomes due to structural inequities in access to care (11).
Policy Gaps: Most nations lack a national prostate cancer policy and broader strategies to address men’s health, leaving a critical void in cancer prevention and health equity efforts (12).

To address these gaps, GAMH lays out ten urgent actions, including the development of national strategies, better data collection, provider training, and public education tailored to men’s health realities. The organization emphasizes that addressing prostate cancer effectively will also advance global gender equality by ensuring that the health needs of men are no longer neglected (13).

The above list of celebrities and statistics demonstrate that prostate cancer is an urgent global health crisis that remains under-prioritized. The media must bring needed visibility to the issue, and lawmakers must advance national strategies, expand early detection, and invest in equitable care.

The International Council for Men and Boys (ICMB) advocates for justice and equity in addressing the 12 areas of global disadvantage affecting men and boys. Through research partnerships and policy engagement, ICMB amplifies efforts like GAMH’s to ensure the health and wellbeing of males is no longer sidelined in international development.

Links:

Contact

Quick Links

Quick Links