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ATLANTA, December 11, 2024 — A new study led by American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers shows prostate cancer incidence rates increased in 11 of 50 countries, mostly located in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Central and Eastern Europe. Also, prostate cancer mortality trends climbed in nine of the 59 countries examined. In contrast, prostate cancer mortality declined in most high-income countries. The findings are published today in the journal European Urology.
Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer death among men worldwide, with over 1,460,000 estimated cases and 396,000 deaths. By 2040, the prostate cancer burden is predicted to increase to approximately 2.4 million cases and 712,000 deaths solely due to the aging and growth of the population.
“The decline in prostate cancer mortality in most high-income countries reflects advances in early detection and treatment,” said Elizabeth Schafer, associate scientist, surveillance and health equity science at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the study. “However, the availability of these advances is limited in many low- and middle-income countries, such as parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, which are experiencing increasing incidence and mortality rates.”
For the study, researchers analyzed age-standardized incidence and mortality rates by country and region from the 2022 GLOBOCAN estimates and temporal trends in incidence (50 countries/territories) and mortality (59 countries/territories) rates using data from Cancer Incidence in Five Continents series and the WHO Mortality Database.
The results showed that estimated prostate cancer rates across regions in 2022 varied by 13-fold for incidence and by 9.5-fold for mortality, with the highest incidence rates found in Australia/New Zealand, North America, Northern Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean, and the highest mortality rates found in sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. During the most recent 5-year period, incidence rates increased in 11 of the 50 countries included in the study, and mortality rates increased in 9 of 59 countries, mostly located in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Central and Eastern Europe. Mortality rates decreased in 38 countries, largely located in Europe, Oceania, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
“Our findings reinforce the need for coordinated and concerted efforts to improve early detection and treatment services in low- and middle-income countries to reduce the undue high burden of the disease,” Schafer added.
Other ACS researchers contributing to the study include Dr. Hyuna Sung, Dr. William Dahut, and senior author Dr. Ahmedin Jemal.
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