Epidemiologic Evidence
The evidence from multiple high-quality guidelines and recent research consistently identifies prostate cancer as the leading malignancy affecting men:
In the United States, prostate cancer accounts for approximately 27% of all new cancer diagnoses in men, with an estimated 299,010 new cases annually. 1, 2
In the European Union, the crude incidence is 78.9 per 100,000 men per year. 1, 3
Globally, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in 112 countries, representing 15% of all cancers worldwide, with 1.4 million new cases reported in 2020. 4
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) explicitly states that prostate cancer has surpassed lung cancer as the most common cancer in men. 1
Important Clinical Context
Age Distribution
More than 70% of cases occur in men older than 65 years, with a median age at diagnosis of 67-71 years. 3, 2
Subclinical (asymptomatic) prostate cancer is present in the majority of men over age 50. 1, 3
Racial Disparities
Black men experience the highest incidence at 173 cases per 100,000 men annually—67-70% higher than White men (97 per 100,000). 3, 2
Mortality among Black men is 2-4 times greater than other racial and ethnic groups. 3
Projected Burden
- The number of annual cases is projected to surge from 1.4 million in 2020 to 2.9 million by 2040, driven by demographic changes and rising life expectancy worldwide. 4