University of Alberta receives $480K grant for prostate cancer research from Movember Canada

Movember Canada is investing $4.9 million into 18 grants over three years. (Movember Canada)

Health equity for Indigenous men diagnosed with prostate cancer is the focus of a collaboration between the University of Alberta, the Alberta First Nations Information Government Center and Alberta Health.

“We know that prostate cancer is highly treatable if it’s diagnosed early,” said Dr. Mike Fraser, director of cancer program implementation for Movember Canada.

“(More than 95) percent of men survive well beyond five years after diagnosis, and that’s largely because they have access to screening tools like (prostate-specific antigen testing).”

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This is part of why Movember Canada is investing $4.9 million into 18 grants over three years.

The grants are spread across five countries – six in Canada (worth $2.1 million), five in the United Kingdom (co-funded by Prostate Cancer UK), three in Australia, three in the United States and one in Ireland.

“It’s a matter of making sure that everybody has that access and has the ability to be diagnosed at the right time and treated appropriately for their disease,” Fraser said.

The University of Alberta’s grant is $480,000, and will focus on screening, access to care and identifying disparities.

“Indigenous men in Canada are diagnosed with more aggressive and more advanced prostate cancers than other Canadians,” said Dr. Kinnaird, chair of prostate cancer research.

“Furthermore, they are more likely to have their cancer metastasize, at which point the cancer is no longer curable.”

The team, led by Dr. Adam Kinnaird, will travel to remote First Nations communities where they will offer prostate cancer screening in the ManVan.

Researchers hope that with regular screening they’ll be able to detect cancers at earlier stages.