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International Trends in Prostate-Cancer Mortality: The Decrease is Continuing and Spreading

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Abstract

Objective: To measure recent changes in prostate-cancer mortality across 24 developed countries.

Methods: Mortality data for men aged 50–79 years were obtained from the World Health Organisation mortality database and we assessed trends in age-standardised mortality rates using joinpoint regression models.

Results: Significant reductions in prostate-cancer mortality were observed in United Kingdom, United States, Austria, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Australia and Spain, and downward trends were also observable in the Netherlands, Ireland and Sweden.

Conclusions: Mortality declines for prostate cancer are now evident in 12 out of the 24 developed countries considered in this analysis. Increases in PSA screening and better treatment of early-stage disease, possibly acting in combination, remain plausible hypotheses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Queensland Cancer Fund, PO Box 201, Spring Hill, QLD 4004, Australia

    P.D. Baade (Senior Research Fellow (Biostatistics) & J.F. Aitken

  2. Health Information Centre, Queensland Health, Australia

    M.D. Coory

Authors
  1. P.D. Baade
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  2. M.D. Coory
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  3. J.F. Aitken
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Correspondence to P.D. Baade.

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Baade, P., Coory, M. & Aitken, J. International Trends in Prostate-Cancer Mortality: The Decrease is Continuing and Spreading. Cancer Causes Control 15, 237–241 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CACO.0000024212.66334.26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CACO.0000024212.66334.26

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