Geographical Variations in Prostate Cancer Outcomes: A Systematic Review of International Evidence

Conclusions: This review found substantial evidence that prostate cancer indicators varied by residential location across diverse populations and geographies. While wide variations in study design limited comparisons across studies, our review indicated that internationally, men living in disadvantaged areas, and to a lesser extent more rural areas, face a greater prostate cancer burden. This review highlights the need for a better understanding of the complex social, environmental, and behavioral reasons for these variations, recognizing that, while important, geographical access is not the only issue. Implementing research strategies to help identify these processes and to better understand the central role of disadvantage to variations in health outcome are crucial to inform the development of evidence-based targeted interventions. Introduction Worldwide, prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed invasive cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in men (1). Prostate cancer is especially prevalent in developed regions including Australia, United States and Western Europe, with incidence rates varying more than 25-fold between high and low incidence countries (1, 2). In contrast, mortality rates are higher in less developed countries especially among predominantly black Caribbean and sub-Saharan African populations (1, 2). These wide variations in the global burden of prostate cancer reflect the impact of country-specific differences in Prostate ...
Source: Frontiers in Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research