Prostate Cancer Incidence
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men, with an estimated 299,010 new cases diagnosed in the United States in 2024 and approximately 1.47 million cases worldwide in 2022. 1
Overall Incidence Rates
In the United States, men have a 1 in 8 lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer, with an annual incidence rate of approximately 97-173 cases per 100,000 men depending on race. 2, 1
- The crude annual incidence in the European Union is 78.9 per 100,000 men. 2, 3
- Incidence rates declined by approximately 40% from 2007 to 2014, but have since increased at a rate of 3% annually from 2014 to 2021. 2, 4
- This recent increase is driven primarily by a rise in regional and metastatic disease diagnoses, likely resulting from declining PSA screening rates following the 2012 USPSTF recommendations against routine screening. 2, 4
Age-Specific Incidence
More than 70% of all prostate cancer patients are older than 65 years at diagnosis, with a median age of 67-71 years. 2, 3, 5
- A 50-year-old man has a 42% chance of developing histological evidence of prostate cancer during his lifetime, a 9.5% risk of developing clinically important disease, and a 2.9% risk of death from prostate cancer. 2
- Subclinical prostate cancer is common in men over 50 years of age. 2
- Distant-stage disease is increasing by 2.6% annually in men younger than 55 years, 6.0% annually in men aged 55-69 years, and 6.2% annually in men aged 70 years and older. 4
- Among elderly men aged 75 and older who undergo biopsy, 53% are positive for prostate cancer, and 78% of these cases represent clinically significant disease. 6
Racial and Ethnic Disparities
Black men have the highest prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates, with an annual incidence of 173.0 cases per 100,000 compared to 97.1 per 100,000 in White men—a 67-70% higher incidence rate. 2, 3, 1
- Black men have 2- to 4-times higher mortality rates than all other racial and ethnic groups. 2
- Black men are more likely to present with higher Gleason scores and more advanced pathologic stage, though stage- and grade-adjusted mortality rates are similar between Black and White men. 2, 3
- American Indian/Alaska Native men have 12% higher prostate cancer mortality despite 13% lower incidence compared to White men. 4
- American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic men are less likely to be diagnosed with localized disease (64-67%) compared to Black and White men (71-72%). 4
- Japan and China have particularly low rates (2-20 deaths per 100,000 men), but studies of immigrants from these countries to the United States show increased risk, suggesting environmental and dietary factors play a significant role. 2, 3
Geographic Variation
Mortality rates in the European Union are 30.6 per 100,000 men per year, with similar mortality rates across different EU states despite wide variation in incidence and survival rates. 2, 3
- In the Middle East and North Africa region, patients tend to present with more advanced disease due to lack of systematic PSA screening. 3
- Scandinavian countries have particularly high rates (90-140 deaths per 100,000 males). 2
Genetic and Familial Risk
Approximately 9% of prostate malignancies are due to inherited predisposition, with more than 50% of prostate cancer risk attributable to genetic factors overall. 2, 3, 5, 7, 1
- Men with one first-degree relative with prostate cancer have a 2.5-fold increased risk; with two relatives, a 5-fold risk; and with three relatives, an 11-fold increased risk. 2
- Approximately 42% of early-onset cancers (diagnosed before age 55) may be inherited. 2, 5
- BRCA2 mutations are associated with a 2-6 fold increase in prostate cancer risk and account for up to 2% of early-onset cases. 3, 5, 7
- Among men with metastatic prostate cancer, 11.8% harbor germline mutations in DNA repair genes. 7
Clinical Presentation at Diagnosis
At diagnosis, approximately 75% of patients have cancer localized to the prostate, which is associated with a 5-year survival rate of nearly 100%. 1