Marvin Humes is urging men to take part in a lifesaving study that hopes to determine why black men are more at risk of prostate cancer.
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The father-of-three is backing a UK study which aims to explain why black men develop prostate cancer at twice the rate of other men, and the JLS star is encouraging men from the black community to find out whether they are eligible to take part in the trial, which is funded by Movember and Prostate Cancer UK.
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Speaking about the PROFILE study that looks at the genes of men of African and Caribbean descent, Marvin said: "Prostate cancer will affect a quarter of men in the black community, meaning it's something we simply can't afford to ignore. Research like this is vital to help us understand why certain men are at greater risk and what more can be done to catch the disease early.
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© Photo: Getty ImagesMarvin urged his fans to take part
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"I would urge any man aged 40-69 from the black community to find out if they might be eligible and help with this vital research."
As well as examining the genes of black men to see if they can learn to predict prostate cancer risk, PROFILE also hopes to find better ways of diagnosing and treating the disease.
Marvin added: "We need men from ethnic backgrounds to know they're more at risk of prostate cancer.
"We know the difference between early and late detection for men with prostate cancer can be life and death, which is why it’s all the more important for us to be aware of those most at risk."
© Photo: Getty ImagesMarvin and his wife Rochelle Humes
In the UK, one in four black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, double the one in eight risk faced by all men.
Earlier this year, prostate cancer was announced as being the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, with new figures showing an alarming drop in urgent referrals for the disease due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study is currently open to men aged 40 and 69, who are of African or Caribbean descent and haven't previously had prostate cancer. It will continue to recruit men until 1 June 2021.
To find out more about the PROFILE study and how you can get involved, head to prostatecanceruk.org/riskresearch.
Prostate Cancer UK's 30-second online risk checker to help men understand their risk is available online at prostatecanceruk.org/riskcheck.
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