Incidence of prostate cancer, mortality declines or stabilizes in most countries

ATLANTA – The results of the study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research revealed that prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates were declining or remained stable in most regions of the world.

In 2012, prostate cancer was the most common cancer in men in 96 countries and the leading cause of death in 51 countries. According to the author of the study, it remains the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer death among men. MaryBeth Freeman, MPH, Senior Research Associate in Surveillance Research at the American Cancer Society.

"Previous studies have shown significant variation in prostate cancer rates, due to factors such as detection practices, availability of treatments, and genetic factors," Freeman said in a press release. "By comparing rates from different countries, we can badess differences in detection practices and treatment improvements."

In the study, Freeman and his colleagues Estimated incidence of prostate cancer and standardized age-specific death rates by country and region of WHO for 2012 based on GLOBOCAN data. They badessed long-term trends (from 1980 to 2012) in terms of incidence and mortality for 38 countries with high quality data based on population.

In addition, they badessed short-term trends in prostate cancer over the last five years (most often from 2008 to 2012) among 44 countries for which incidence data were available and 71 countries for which mortality information was available.

The results of the badysis of short-term trends showed that Brazil, Lithuania and Australia had the highest rates of prostate cancer incidence, while the most important factors were: India, Thailand and Bahrain had the lowest rates. Prostate cancer mortality rates over the last five years were highest in the Caribbean (Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba), South Africa, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, and the highest in the world. low in Thailand and Turkmenistan.

Four of the 44 countries for which accessible and high-quality incidence data were available showed an increase in the incidence of prostate cancer in the last five years, with Bulgaria recording the increase the most significant. The incidence declined in seven countries, the largest reduction in the United States, and stabilized in the remaining 31 countries.

Conversely, during the same period, Prostate cancer mortality rates among the 71 countries badessed according to this trend decreased in 14 countries, increased in three countries and stabilized in 54 countries.

The researchers noted that their study was limited by the variability of data collection between countries.

According to Freeman, the results of the study underscore the importance of PSA screening, whose increasing use coincided with the decline of prostate cancer between the mid-2000s and 2015. Some countries consider reducing their recommendations for PSA testing on the premise that this leads to over treatment of prostate cancer.

"Overall, patients should have an informed discussion with their providers about the pros and cons of the PSA test for the detection of prostate cancer," Freeman said in a press release. "Future studies should track trends in mortality rates and advanced stages of the disease to badess the impact of the reduction in PSA testing in several countries."– by Jennifer Byrne

Reference:

Freeman MB et al. Abstract LB171. Presented at: AACR Annual Meeting; From March 29 to April 3, 2019; Atlanta.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the American Cancer Society. Freeman does not report any relevant financial information. Please consult the summary for the relevant financial information of all other authors.