Tendencias en la mortalidad por cáncer de órganos genitales masculinos de aparición temprana y tardía en España, 1999-2023

Abstract

Objective

To assess long-term mortality trends for male genital organ (MGO) cancers in Spain from 1999 to 2023, stratified by age group and tumour type.

Methods

A retrospective, population-based ecological study was conducted using mortality records from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics. Deaths were classified by ICD-10 codes: penile (C60), prostate (C61), testicular (C62), and other/unspecified (C63). Age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) were calculated using the 2013 European Standard Population. Temporal trends were evaluated with Joinpoint regression to estimate annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC). Analyses were stratified by early-onset (<50 years) and late-onset (≥50 years) disease.

Results

From 1999 to 2023, 147,917 MGO-related deaths were recorded; prostate cancer comprised approximately 97%, predominantly in men aged ≥50 years. Crude mortality increased slightly over time due to population ageing, whereas prostate cancer ASMR decreased from 49.61 to 27.26 per 100,000 (AAPC −2.5%; 95% CI −2.7 to −2.3). A joinpoint in 2016 indicated a slowing decline thereafter (APC −1.3%). Testicular cancer mortality remained low and stable (AAPC −0.4%), with a minor reduction in older men but stable or slightly increasing patterns among younger men. Penile cancer mortality showed persistently low and unchanged rates (AAPC −0.8%). Early-onset prostate and penile cancer mortality was rare and exhibited stable trends.

Conclusions

MGO cancer mortality in Spain is overwhelmingly driven by prostate cancer, which has declined markedly over 25 years but has plateaued since 2016. Mortality from testicular and penile cancers remains low with limited age-specific variability.