PROSTATE CANCER
Nationally and locally the incidence of prostate cancer has been on a steady decline. During the late 1980’s we saw a sharp increase in the incidence of prostate cancer, but it has been on a steady decline in the 1990’s. According to Wingo, et. al. this trend is likely related to the effects of prostate-specific antigen screening.(3) When a screening test, such as PSA, is widely utilized in a population, the incidence rate for the disease under scrutiny will increase as the result of early diagnosis of cancers that otherwise would have been diagnosed later. Prostate cancer incidence rates are expected to continue to decline and may stabilize at the rates in effect prior to the widespread use of PSA screening. (2)
PROSTATE CANCER DIAGNOSED
VANDERBURGH
COUNTY
Males diagnosed
|
Age |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
|
0-44 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
45-64 |
19 |
23 |
32 |
18 |
15 |
11 |
|
65+ |
85 |
79 |
56 |
55 |
51 |
53 |
|
Total |
104 |
102 |
88 |
73 |
66 |
65 |
The data for 1993-1997 indicates 97.1% of those diagnosed in 1992 were surviving at the end of the first year and 72.1% were surviving at the end of five years.
Compiled by the Partnership
for Healthcare Information
February, 1999