Incidence, epidemiology and patterns of progression of prostate cancer

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men worldwide. Its incidence and mortality vary widely between countries and ethnicities. In Korea, the incidence of prostate cancer was much lower than that in most westernized countries, but recently, it appears to be rapidly increasing steadily. Prostate cancer has now become the fifth most common cancer in men in Korea since the year 2002. The recent dramatic increase in incidence may be attributed to the growth of elderly population, a westernized diet in daily life style, and introduction of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening. The prevalence of latent prostate cancers is similar around the world, but the incidence of clinically manifest cancers differs, with Asians having the lowest rates of clinical prostate cancers. Diet may play a role in converting latent prostate cancer into clinically manifest one. Fat consumption, especially polyunsaturated fat, shows a strong positive correlation with prostate cancer incidence and mortality. The mortality rates for prostate cancer have been decreasing in many developed countries, thanks to early detection and improved treatment, while the mortality rates have been increasing in Korea. Since a significantly higher proportion of Korean prostate cancers exhibit poor differentiation, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment may be important.