Prostate cancer is the leading cancer diagnosed among men in the United States. However, racial/ethnic variations in the SEER data are striking: the incidence rate among black men (180.6 per 100,000) is more than seven times that among Koreans (24.2). Indeed, blacks in the U.S. have the highest rates of this cancer in the world. Although the incidence among whites is quite high, it is distinctly lower than among blacks. Asian and native American men have the lowest rates. The very low rate in Korean men probably reflects the fact that most of the Koreans in the SEER areas are recent immigrants from Asia, where rates are lower than in the United States.

Age-specific incidence rates show dramatic increases between age categories. The remarkably sharp increase in incidence with age is a hallmark of this cancer. Sixty percent of all newly diagnosed prostate cancer cases and almost 80% of all deaths occur in men 70 years of age and older. Mortality rates for prostate cancer are much lower than the incidence rates, because survival for men with this cancer is generally quite high.

Prostate cancer incidence has been increasing rapidly in recent years. Most of this increase has been attributed to the greater use of screening modalities, and especially the widespread introduction of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. The causes of prostate cancer are not known. Men with a family history of prostate cancer are at increased risk, but whether this is genetic or due to shared environmental influences, or both, is not known. It is thought that whatever the causal factors are, they act by altering the balance of male hormones in the body. Some research has suggested that diets high in fat and red meats increase risk, while a high intake of fruits and vegetables may offer some protection. There is current interest in the possibility that the low risk of prostate cancer in certain Asian populations may result from their high intake of soy products.

Source: Miller BA, Kolonel LN, Bernstein L, Young, Jr. JL, Swanson GM, West D, Key CR, Liff JM, Glover CS, Alexander GA, et al. (eds). Racial/Ethnic Patterns of Cancer in the United States 1988-1992, National Cancer Institute. NIH Pub. No. 96-4104. Bethesda, MD, 1996.

Graphs showing incidence and mortality for specific racial and ethnic groups including information that may not be discussed in the text above, is available at the NCI's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Web site at: http://seer.cancer.gov/.

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