Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men in the UK, impacting thousands of lives annually. Understanding current data is important for public awareness and healthcare planning.
Understanding Incidence and Prevalence
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the UK, with approximately 55,100 new cases diagnosed annually between 2017 and 2019, equating to about 150 diagnoses daily. Provisional figures suggest this number has increased to over 56,000 diagnoses each year. This cancer accounts for 28% of all new male cancer cases in the UK.
Incidence rates have risen over time. Since the early 1990s, prostate cancer incidence rates in UK males have increased by over 53%. The last decade alone saw a 9% increase. This trend is projected to continue, with an estimated 15% rise between 2023-2025 and 2038-2040, potentially reaching around 85,100 new cases annually by 2038-2040.
The number of men living with or after a prostate cancer diagnosis, known as prevalence, is high in the UK. Approximately 510,000 men are currently living with or after a diagnosis. This reflects both the high number of new diagnoses and improving survival rates.
Mortality and Survival Trends
Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death among males in the UK, accounting for 14% of all cancer deaths in men between 2017 and 2019. Around 12,000 men die from prostate cancer each year in the UK.
Survival rates have improved over recent decades. The 10-year survival rate for men diagnosed in England between 2013 and 2017 is predicted to be almost 8 in 10 (77.6%). This is an increase from the 1970s, when only about a quarter (25.2%) of men diagnosed survived beyond ten years. By the 2010s, this figure had risen to over 8 in 10 (83.8%).
Five-year survival rates also improved, increasing from 65.3% for those diagnosed between 2000 and 2004 to 75.3% for those diagnosed between 2015 and 2019. The median survival for prostate cancer patients in the UK is estimated to be around 10.9 to 11.1 years after diagnosis. These improvements are likely influenced by earlier diagnosis and advancements in treatment options.
Demographic Insights and Risk Factors
Prostate cancer affects certain groups of men in the UK more than others. Age is the primary risk factor, with incidence rates highest in males aged 75 to 79. Approximately a third (34%) of all new prostate cancer cases in the UK are diagnosed in men aged 75 and over. Mortality rates also show a strong age relationship, with three-quarters (75%) of all prostate cancer deaths in the UK occurring in men aged 75 and over.
Ethnic background also plays a role. Black men in the UK face a higher risk, with about 1 in 4 Black men expected to be diagnosed in their lifetime, compared to 1 in 8 White men and 1 in 13 Asian men. Black men are also more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age, over 45, compared to men of other ethnicities. Incidence rates are lower in Asian and mixed/multiple ethnic groups compared to the White ethnic group in England.
Family history is another established risk factor. Men are more likely to develop prostate cancer if their father or brother has had it, increasing the risk by two and a half times. The likelihood of diagnosis may be greater if multiple close relatives have had the disease, especially if diagnosed before age 60. Inherited factors are estimated to explain about 5–9% of prostate cancer cases.
The Role of Early Detection
Early detection influences prostate cancer outcomes, especially survival rates. When prostate cancer is identified in its initial stages, before it has grown large or spread, there are generally more effective treatment options available, leading to better prognoses. This is directly reflected in survival data, where almost everyone diagnosed with stage 1 or 2 prostate cancer is expected to survive for five years or more.
Prostate cancer often presents no symptoms in its early stages, making awareness and testing important. In the UK, common methods for assessing prostate health include the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal examination (DRE). The PSA test measures a protein produced by prostate cells, and elevated levels can indicate prostate cancer, though other conditions can also cause high PSA.
While a national screening program for prostate cancer does not currently exist in the UK, advances in diagnostic technology, such as multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) scans, are improving the accuracy of diagnosis and reducing unnecessary procedures. These improvements mean that early diagnosis through testing can lead to more years lived with a higher quality of life and a reduction in prostate cancer mortality.