Number of new cases of prostate cancer will more than double to 2.9 million by 2040

This is the state of prostate cancer. According to a new report from the Lancet Commission on Prostate Cancer, just released on April 4th: lancet. It is already the most common cancer among men in 112 countries and accounts for approximately 15% of all male cancers worldwide. And it becomes even more “common.” The report estimates that the number of new cases of prostate cancer will increase from 1.4 million in 2020 to 2.9 million by 2040. This is more than a doubling in just 20 years.

If you want to find out the cause of this prostate situation and this spike, we can point out several factors. Prostate cancer rates were already on the rise before 2020, so some of this projected increase is an extrapolation of what's happening now. Additionally, as the population continues to grow, so do the number of men, and there will be more men in the future. Furthermore, as life expectancy increases, more and more men will live well (or not) into ages when prostate cancer is increasingly likely.

The commission said more needs to be done to address this continued increase, stating: “Without urgent action, these trends will lead to a rapid rise in global deaths from prostate cancer. “It will be,” he warned. In 2020, approximately 375,000 people died from prostate cancer worldwide, and that number is likely to rise further if the situation does not change. Prostate cancer is treatable if detected early, but the chances of survival are lower for more aggressive cases or if diagnosed at a later stage.

That's why monitoring for prostate cancer is so important. You can't see your prostate in the mirror or in a selfie unless you have a really good reason. Also, prostate cancer tends not to cause symptoms until it is advanced. Therefore, once you are over 50 years old, you should regularly check your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in your blood. If you are at higher risk, such as a family history of prostate cancer at a younger age, you may need to be tested earlier. Not everyone has such checks. In fact, many people in low-income settings may not even have access to such testing. Too many people around the world are undiagnosed because their disease progresses too slowly.

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The Lancet Commission therefore emphasized the need to ensure that everyone in high-, middle- and low-income countries has access to testing when appropriate. Making tests available is not enough. The importance of prostate cancer screening and the impact of the disease needs to be well-informed and therefore raise awareness among all citizens.

Another problem is that PSA is not perfect. Elevated levels do not necessarily mean prostate cancer. Normal levels do not necessarily rule out prostate cancer. Dr. Sean DasonThe Ohio State University School of Medicine assistant professor of urology calls PSA “a universally useful number.” As levels increase, so does the risk of prostate cancer. Although a biopsy may ultimately be necessary to determine whether someone has prostate cancer, we encourage everyone with prostate cancer to undergo regular biopsies. I can't tell you. Because undergoing such a procedure is probably not on many people's list of fun things to do. Furthermore, an excessive number of prostate biopsies can be of considerable cost to society. Therefore, the Lancet committee called for the development of more testing options, including new types of blood tests and imaging approaches, that can improve the accuracy of prostate cancer screening.

Next is the treatment of prostate cancer. Although there are better treatment options available these days than there were decades ago, these options are still far from perfect. Treatment may not remove all cancer. And each of the currently available options has drawbacks and side effects. For example, Dayson described two very common effects of surgical removal of the prostate. “One is urinary incontinence, which for most men will eventually resolve. The other is erectile dysfunction. Over time a man can regain function, but it affects erections. It depends on how much of the nerves that give the disease can be preserved during surgery.'' It is therefore surprising that the Lancet committee called for further research to develop and establish more and better treatment options. Not.

Finally, much of the previous research has focused on one specific demographic rather than everyone in the world. Can you guess which demographic group gets the most attention? Well, one is men, which makes sense since they're usually men with prostates. The other is European heritage. In other words, although the incidence of prostate cancer in men of African descent is approximately twice that of men of European descent, many studies do not include people of other cultures, such as African descent. The Lancet committee recommended that this inequity be adequately addressed and that prostate cancer research, surveillance, and treatment efforts target a broader and more diverse population.

Implementing all of the Lancet Commission's recommendations will require a little something called money and other ancillary resources. Political and business leaders play an important role here because they control many resources. The big question is whether such leaders will actually listen to the urgent need for action. After all, many such leaders don't have the best track record of heeding such calls until it's too late. Instead, they often don't address something until it's right in front of them. And if there is a prostate gland, it is usually not in front of a person's face. Instead, it should be placed directly below the bladder, in front of the rectum, and surrounding the urethra. But just because something isn't seen or heard doesn't mean it shouldn't be taken too seriously.