Recent research suggests that advanced prostate cancer rates have skyrocketed in the US with more men being diagnosed at later stages.
According to an analysis published in the journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, it suggests that only fewer men get screened to diagnose the disease.
study co-author Dr. Bill Dahut, chief scientific officer of the American Cancer Society, told The New York Times.
In 2012, the US Preventive Services Task Force discontinued advising routine PSA blood tests for prostate cancer due to concerns about overtreatment and a range of adverse effects, such as incontinence and impotence.
Following this, diagnoses sharply declined by 6.4% per year from 2007 to 2014.
In 2014, new cases started to rise from 3% annually, with final stage diagnoses increasing 4.6–4.8% per year between 2017 and 2021, while early-stage cases dropped.
After considering the entire situation regarding the dropped rates, policies were updated in 2018 to reduce the rapid decline and to recommend men aged between 55–69 to decide individually about screening, while advising against screening after 70.
The report underscores significant gaps in care among different racial groups.
Black men have nearly 67% higher chances of developing prostate cancer and are twice as likely to die, in contrast to the white men.
Native Americans are also at an increased death rate despite lower incidence.
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in U.S. men and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Early diagnosis may prevent the rapidly increasing rates of prostate cancer.
