Prostate Cancer Rates on the Rise

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has unveiled startling new statistics in its Prostate Cancer Statistics report for 2025. It reveals a troubling trend: the annual incidence of prostate cancer has surged by 3% from 2014 to 2021 after a previous decline of 6.4%. Most alarmingly, advanced-stage diagnoses are climbing at a rate of 4.6%-4.8% every year.

Mortality Declines Slow Down

While there was a commendable drop in prostate cancer mortality rates by 3%-4% each year during the 1990s and 2000s, this decline has dramatically slowed to just 0.6% per year over the last decade.

Racial Disparities Exposed

The report highlights that Black men face a staggering mortality rate that is twice as high as their White counterparts. Also concerning is that Native American men present a 12% higher mortality rate compared to White men, despite lower overall incidence.

Call for Action

"These findings accentuate the pressing need to foster awareness and improve early detection strategies for prostate cancer, especially in communities of color," states Tyler Kratzer, MPH, the lead author of the study. He urges all men to discuss the necessity of screenings with their healthcare providers by age 50, or at 45 for those at higher risk, like Black men.

Prostate Cancer: A Growing Concern

Currently, prostate cancer stands as the most common cancer among men in the U.S., representing 30% of male cancer diagnoses in 2025 and ranking as the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths. This year alone, the ACS projects about 313,780 new cases and nearly 35,770 deaths due to this disease.

Statistics That Shock

Data reveals that distant-stage prostate cancer is not discriminating, affecting men across all ages, including a nearly 3% increase among those younger than 55 and a daunting 6% among men aged 55 and older.

Key Findings from the Report

- American Indian and Alaska Native men show the highest prevalence of distant-stage diagnoses, with rates of 12% compared to 8% among White men. - Mortality from prostate cancer starkly ranges from 36.9 deaths per 100,000 for Black men to 8.8 for Asian American and Pacific Islander men. - Geographic disparities are evident, with Washington, DC, and Mississippi reporting the highest death rates, largely due to their significant Black populations.

The Advocacy Push Continues

In light of these findings, the ACS Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is championing the Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-risk Insured Men (PSA Screening for HIM) Act. This legislation aims to eliminate cost barriers like copayments and deductibles for high-risk men seeking essential screenings.

"With financial hurdles preventing access to early detection, we must take action to ensure that all men, regardless of background, have the opportunity to survive this preventable cancer," asserts Lisa A. Lacasse, President of ACS CAN. She insists that passing this legislation is critical to reducing disparities and saving lives.