Late-stage prostate cancer diagnoses on the rise
Prostate cancer diagnoses are on the rise after many years of steady declines, according to new data from the American Cancer Society.
What’s more, late-stage diagnoses also are climbing, especially among racial minorities, sparking concerns related to early screening adherence in vulnerable populations. The new data were published today in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, where experts caution that more needs to be done to persuade men to seek screening.
“Our research highlighting the continued increases in prostate cancer incidence and persistent racial disparities underscores the need for redoubled efforts to understand the etiology of prostate cancer and optimize early detection,” lead author of the study, Tyler Kratzer, MPH, an associate scientist working in cancer surveillance research at the American Cancer Society, said in a news release. “At age 50, per ACS guidelines, all men should have a conversation with their healthcare provider about the benefits and harms of screening, but Black men and those with a family history of prostate cancer should have that conversation at age 45.”
The data used for the analysis were derived from multiple national databases, including the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR). Experts compared changes in cancer and mortality rates between 1998 and 2021 and explored how different factors, like race, socioeconomic status, age and geographic location, affected the figures.
Through this, several notable observations were made, including:
A rise in prostate cancer diagnoses from 2014 through 2021. During that time, prostate cancer diagnoses increased by an average of 3% annually. In comparison, these rates declined by approximately 6.4% per year between 2007 and 2014.
An increase of around 4.8% per year in late-stage diagnoses.
Rising late-stage diagnoses in men older than 55. This figure has increased by approximately 6% annually.
Higher rates of late-stage diagnoses in American Indian and Alaskan Native men. These individuals face a 12% risk of late-stage diagnoses, while White men have an 8% chance.
Higher prostate cancer-related mortality rates in Black men, at 36.9 deaths per 100,000; American Indian and Alaskan native men were next in line at 20.6 per 100,000, with White men and Hispanic men were ranked third and fourth, at 18.4 and 15.4 deaths per 100,000.
Higher mortality rates based on geographic location, with states that have a larger proportion of Black men, including Washington and Missouri, seeing the highest numbers.
Experts involved in the analysis suggested that their findings highlight the need for more effective screening initiatives among men who face access barriers.
“Our report underscores the need to redouble efforts to optimize early diagnosis that minimizes overdetection and to ensure that these strategies reach Black and Native American communities in particular,” said senior author Rebecca Siegel, MPH, senior scientific director of cancer surveillance research at the American Cancer Society. “All men deserve the same opportunity to survive this common cancer.”
Learn more about the findings here.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.