New research by The Lancet projects that annual prostate cancer cases will double in the next 20 years, rising from 1.4 million in 2020 to 2.9 million in 2040.
Prostate cancer deaths are expected to increase by 85% to almost 700,000 per year over the same timeframe. Low- and middle-income countries are predicted to see the highest increases in both cases and deaths.
The Lancet Commission on prostate cancer, co-authored by Movember, calls for evidence-based interventions to help save lives and prevent poor health for those with prostate cancer.
— Sarah Weller, Global Director for Prostate Cancer at Movember
Research and knowledge of prostate cancer is heavily focussed on White European men, and most studies have been done in high-income countries.
However, Black men, especially those of West African descent, have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer than White or Asian men. The reasons for this are unclear. There is also a higher death rate from prostate cancer among Black men. But, again, it is not known if this is driven by the differences in case rates or by other factors such as differing disease biology or societal factors such as deprivation or racism.
The Commission authors highlight the need for more research to better understand prostate cancer in men who are not of White European origin, to enable improved detection and care in these groups.
What Movember is doing about it:
In many high-income countries, men aged over 50 can request a PSA test from their doctor. It’s an approach that the Commission argues leads to over-testing among low-risk older men. More targeted and personalised screening is expected to reduce both over-diagnosis and over-treatment, while detecting potentially lethal disease in those most at-risk.
In low- and middle-income areas, the effectiveness of population-level PSA testing has not been tested. The Commission is calling for cancer screening trials in these countries.
What Movember is doing about it:
Treatments exist that prolong survival and decrease suffering for men with advanced prostate cancer, but awareness of these treatment options in low- and middle-income countries is limited. Similarly, public awareness of the signs of advanced prostate cancer — such as bone pain — is poor.
The Commission calls for initiatives that raise awareness of the symptoms of advanced prostate cancer and treatment options in low- and middle-income countries.
What Movember is doing about it:
The Commission will be launched at the EAU Congress on Saturday 6 April 2024. Dive into the full report at thelancet.com/commissions/prostate-cancer.