Recent Patterns and Trends in Global Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality: An Update

Abstract

Background and objective: Our aim was to examine worldwide patterns and trends for prostate cancer (PC) incidence and mortality using high-quality, up-to-date, population-based data.

Methods: We analyzed age-standardized PC 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 the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents series and the World Health Organization mortality database.

Key findings and limitations: Estimated PC rates across regions in 2022 varied 13-fold for incidence and 9.5-fold for mortality. The highest incidence rates were in Australia/New Zealand, North America, Northern Europe, and Latin America/Caribbean. The highest mortality rates were in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America/Caribbean. During the most recent 5-yr period, incidence rates increased in 11 of the 50 countries included in the study and mortality rates increased in nine of 59 countries, mostly located in Africa, Asia, Latin America/Caribbean, and Central and Eastern Europe. Mortality rates decreased in 38 countries, largely located in Europe, Oceania, and Latin America/Caribbean. Limitations include the lack of data for low- and middle-income countries.

Conclusions and clinical implications: The increase in PC incidence and mortality rates in many countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America/Caribbean may be because of increases in detection (incidence) and limited access to and availability of treatments (mortality only). The findings reinforce the importance of improving the health care infrastructure in these countries to mitigate the rising burden of PC.

Keywords: Global prostate cancer; Incidence rates; Mortality rates; Trends.

Fig. 1

Estimated age-standardized (A) prostate cancer incidence and (B) prostate cancer mortality rates in 2022. ASR = age-standardized rate; IARC = International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Fig. 2

Prostate cancer incidence rates in selected countries. ^a Rates are from 2011–2015. ^b Rates are from 2012–2016. ^c Rates are from 2013–2017. ^d Rates are from 2015–2019. ^e Rates are from 2017–2021.

Fig. 3

Prostate cancer mortality rates in selected countries. ^a Rates are from 2012–2016. ^b Rates are from 2014–2018. ^c Rates are from 2015–2019. ^d Rates are from 2016–2020. ^e Rates are from 2017–2021. ^f Rates are from 2018–2022.

Fig. 4

Trends in prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates for selected countries. Blue represents incidence and red represents mortality. Dots represent observed rates and lines represent fitted values based on joinpoint analyses.

Fig. 5

Average annual percent change in incidence and mortality rates for the last 5-yr of available data for selected countries. AAPC = average annual percent change. *The AAPC is statistically significantly different from zero.