NHS Prostate Cancer Risk Management Statistics

Incidence¹

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. It accounts for nearly a quarter of all new male cancer diagnoses.

In 2002, 31,923 new cases of prostate cancer were registered in the UK, giving a crude incidence rate of 111.2 cases per 100,000 men.

Mortality¹

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in men, accounting for around 13 per cent of all male cancer deaths.

In 2004, 10,209 men died from the disease.

Survival¹

Survival rates for prostate cancer have been improving for more than 20 years. The detection of a greater proportion of latent, earlier, slow growing tumours has had a beneficial effect on survival rates.

The relative five year survival rate for men diagnosed in England in 2000-2001 was 71 per cent compared with only 31 per cent for men diagnosed in 1971-75.

Risk Factors

Age¹

The lifetime risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer is 1 in 14 in the UK.

The strongest risk factor is age. Prostate cancer is largely a disease of older men and is rare below the age of 50. More than 60 per cent of cases occur in men over 70, with the largest number being diagnosed in those aged 70 to 79.

Family history¹

Risk increases two to three times for men with a family history of prostate cancer in a first-degree relative. The risk appears to be higher if the relative is a brother rather than a father.

Ethnicity²

The incidence of prostate cancer is higher in African Americans (about twice that of white men), and lowest in Asian men.

Diet³

A diet high in animal fats and proteins may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer.

¹UK Prostate Cancer statistics

²Parkin, D. Whelan, S. Ferlay, J. Raymond, L. Young, J. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Vol VII IARC Scientific Publications No 143. 1997. Lyon

³Pandian, S. Heys, S. Wahle, K. McClinton, S. Dietary fats and prostate cancer: A review. The Prostate Journal 2000: 2(3): 123-129