Prostate Cancer Statistics

What Are the Most Important Statistics to Know About Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men today. It afflicts hundreds of thousands of men each year. With this in mind, everyone should be familiar with a few key statistics about prostate cancer.

The Five Prostate Cancer Statistics That Everyone Should Know

1. Prostate Cancer Afflicts One in Six Men During Their Lifetimes

   Prostate cancer varies by race, country of origin, and other factors, but, overall, one of every six men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Only certain types of skin cancer affect more men.

2. Prostate Cancer Is the Second Leading Cause of Cancer Death in Men

   Among American men, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Only lung cancer claims more lives each year. Almost 30,000 men per year succumb to prostate cancer.

3. Black Men Have Higher Rates of Prostate Cancer Than Any Other Group

   Black men have been found to have the highest rates of prostate cancer and are also more likely to die from their prostate cancer than any other racial group. White men have significantly lower rates of prostate cancer, but are still the second leading group.

   Hispanic and Asian men have lower rates of prostate cancer and are also less likely to die from their disease.

   Researchers are exploring the reasons behind these differences in incidence between racial groups, but, for now, no clear reasons are apparent.

4. Prostate Cancer Rates Have Remained Steady Over the Last Decade

   Prostate cancer rates have remained roughly the same over the past decade.

   During the first few years after the PSA test was put into widespread use, the rate seemed to increase dramatically. This was likely not due to more men actually having the disease, however. With a better screening method in place (the PSA test), more men with prostate cancer were actually being diagnosed for the first time.

   Now, the PSA test has been in place for a number of years and the number of men being diagnosed each year has leveled off.

5. Prostate Cancer Deaths Have Decreased Over the Past Decade

   While rates of prostate cancer diagnosis have remained basically stable over the past decade, the number of men dying from this disease has decreased significantly.

   Overall, there was about a four percent per year decrease in overall mortality due to prostate cancer over the past decade.

   This decrease is likely due to a number of advances that have been made in the areas of earlier diagnosis, better treatment, and improved follow-up care.

   _Source:

   Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program