© IRSET
Prostate cancer has a disproportionate incidence on people of African descent. This is the case in the French West Indies in the Caribbean where prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates are approximately double those observed in continental France. Little is known about the reasons for this discrepancy, but genetic susceptibility factors and various environmental factors such as diet and pollutants, are suspected.
In the context of chlordecone environmental pollution in the French West Indies, a research program entitled "KARUPROSTATE" has been established in Guadeloupe. A case-control study of the general population was carried out and enabled us to study the risk of prostate cancer incidence linked to exposure to chlordecone and universally widespread pollutants such as DDT and PCBs. The same study enabled us to assess the role of certain gene polymorphisms in xenobiotic metabolism.
We are currently setting up a second research program: KARUPROSTATE - II. The aim is to study the environmental and genetic factors influencing the evolution of prostate cancer (recurrence) after treatment.
