Increase in prostate cancer in the US

Increase in prostate cancer in the US in the last decade puts a spotlight on treatment and testing

The number of people in the US diagnosed with prostate cancer has increased dramatically, increasing 1.8-fold in the last 10 years. Although more people are being diagnosed with cancer due to the aging population, among other reasons, prostate cancer in particular is increasing at a rapid rate.

However, as some cases are low grade, overtreatment can affect the individual's quality of life, with incontinence after prostate cancer surgery, for example. As a result, many patients and their families have difficulty deciding on a treatment plan.

The prostate, an organ found only in men that surrounds the urethra and lies below the bladder, produces some of the semen. According to 2022 cancer statistics from the US National Cancer Center's Cancer Information Service, a record 92,021 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in the US in 2018.

Prostate cancer was the fourth most common type of cancer in the US in 2008 with 51,534 patients, after gastric and other cancers. However, due to the rapid increase in cases since then, it became the most common type in 2017 and 2018, surpassing gastric cancer. In addition to the aging of the population, the reason behind the increase is said to be the westernization of dietary patterns, as prostate cancer was originally common in the US and Europe.

According to government vital statistics, prostate cancer deaths are also on the rise, with 12,759 deaths in 2020, 1.2 times the figure 10 years ago. It is also known that the prominent actor died in February from prostate cancer.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests are effective for early cancer detection, with 78.1% of municipalities performing the tests at mass health check-ups as of 2020. As prostate cancer progresses slowly and some types do not affect the life of the patient, the The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare does not recommend their inclusion in mass examinations. However, many local governments conduct the tests independently.

The US Urological Association recommends that men over the age of 50 get PSA tests, which it hopes will reduce the death rate from cancer.