NCI SEER Program - Information on prostate cancer in the United States from 1973 through 1995

African-American men have about a 60 percent higher incidence rate of prostate cancer than white men, and about a 2-fold higher mortality rate than white men.

Incidence rates increased 108 percent for white men from 1986 to 1992 and 102 percent for African-American men from 1986 to 1993. Increases in rates are believed to be related to use of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test as a new screening tool.

Recent treatment patterns for local/regional cancers vary by age:

• Radical prostatectomy is more frequent among men under age 70.

• Radiation therapy is more frequent in men ages 70 to 79.

• Conservative therapy (no treatment or hormonal therapy) is more frequent in men over age 79.

Treatment for distant stage cancers has not changed over time - with about 65 percent of patients receiving hormonal therapy.

Based on cases diagnosed in 1990 and followed through 1995, 93 percent of all men diagnosed with prostate cancer will survive five years or longer.

The lowest incidence rates are found in Asians and Native Americans, and all other groups have lower rates than whites and blacks. The incidence rates peaked in 1992 for all groups except African-Americans, where it peaked in 1993.

Of patients with localized or regional stage prostate cancer, Native Americans have the poorest relative survival of all racial/ethnic groups. African-Americans and white-Hispanics have the lowest five-year relative survival rates among patients with distant stage disease.

Because prostate cancer is the number one incident cancer and the number two cause of cancer deaths among US men, these statistics are important for researchers, clinicians, policy makers, and citizens in understanding this disease.