The Lancet Commission: Global projections and recommendations for managing the increasing burden of prostate cancer

The Lancet Commission’s report on prostate cancer highlights the expected doubling of annual cases from 1.4 million in 2020 to 2.9 million by 2040, driven by demographic changes and increased life expectancy. This comprehensive analysis divides the issue into epidemiology, diagnostics, management of localized and advanced disease, emphasizing disparities between high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Key findings indicate that late diagnoses are common, particularly in LMICs, leading to worse outcomes. The Commission advocates for significant changes in the diagnostic pathways and increased use of current technologies tailored to available resources to improve outcomes. Education and awareness programs are recommended to facilitate early detection and shift the treatment paradigm from palliative to curative, focusing on surgery and radiotherapy. Without decisive action, the global mortality from prostate cancer is set to rise, highlighting the need for urgent interventions across all countries, with a special focus on underserved populations.

Reference:

James, N.D., Tannock, I., N’Dow, J., Feng, F., Gillessen, S., Ali, S.A., et al. (2024). The Lancet Commission on prostate cancer: planning for the surge in cases. The Lancet, 404(10052), 1-29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00651-2.