Contemporary Incidence and Mortality Rates of Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of the study was to provide an update ever the incidence and mortality for neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) in the United States.

Patients and methods: Using a large national database, we examined changes in age-adjusted incidence (AAIR), mortality rates (MR) and 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) for 378 patients diagnosed with NEPC between 1992 and 2011. Analysis was performed for all NEPC and for its two major sub-groups [small cell carcinoma (SCC) and neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC)].

Results: AAIR of NEPC continues to rise in recent years (2004-2011:+6.8%/year, p>0.05). AAIR of SCC has been increasing significantly by 6.94%/year since 2001 (from 0.470 to 0.582/1,000,000 person years, p<0.05). Overall incidence-based mortality rates for NEPC did not change significantly since 1992 and similar trends were observed for SCC and NEC.

Conclusion: The AAIR of SCC is increasing with no change in the MR of NEPC over the past 20 years.

Keywords: 5-year survival; Prostate; androgen deprivation therapy; incidence; mortality; neuroendocrine prostate cancer; prostate cancer.