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Definition |
With a median age at diagnosis of 68 years, PCa is generally a disease of men aged > 70 years. In the USA, the increase in men aged > 65 years will result in an estimated 70% increase in annual diagnosis of PCa by 2030. A similar increase is expected in Europe. The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database shows that 71% of PCa-related deaths occur in men aged > 75 years, probably due to the higher incidence of advanced/metastatic disease. Despite the high incidence and mortality rates in senior adults, they may be undertreated in the USA and Europe. In the USA, only 41% of patients aged > 75 years with intermediate- and high-risk disease receive curative treatment compared to 88% aged 65-74. Two large studies showed that PCa-specific mortality was low for localised low- and intermediate-risk PCa, irrespective of age. In contrast, cancer-related mortality of up to 64% was found for high-risk PCa.
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