Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). It is the 3rd leading cause of death from cancer in men in Canada.
To provide the most current cancer statistics, researchers use statistical methods to estimate the number of new cancer cases and deaths until actual data become available.
Incidence and mortality
Incidence is the total number of new cases of cancer. Mortality is the number of deaths due to cancer.
It is estimated that in 2013:
- 23,600 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. This represents 25% of all new cancer cases in men in 2013.
- 3,900 men will die from prostate cancer. This represents 10% of all cancer deaths in men in 2013.
- On average, 65 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every day.
- On average, 11 Canadian men will die from prostate cancer every day.
Estimated Canadian prostate cancer statistics (2013)
|
New cases | 23,600 |
Incidence rate (for every 100,000 people)* | 104 |
Deaths | 3,900 |
Death rate (for every 100,000 people)* | 18 |
|
*Age-standardized to the 1991 Canadian Standard Population. Age-standardization is a statistical method that removes the effect of age on the calculated rate. It allows rates to be compared over time or across provinces and territories.
Trends in prostate cancer
Since 1980, the incidence rate for prostate cancer has generally increased. Part of the increase in incidence is likely due to the more widespread use of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test for the early detection of prostate cancer.
The death rate rose much more slowly during the same period and started to decline in the mid-1990s.
Chances (probability) of developing or dying from prostate cancer
Based on 2007 estimates, about 1 in 7 Canadian men is expected to develop prostate cancer during his lifetime and 1 in 28 will die from it.
For more information, go to Canadian Cancer Statistics publication.