Prostate Cancer Trends in Montana.

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in Montana and the second-most-common cause of cancer deaths. In 2014, prostate cancer incidence in Montana started increasing significantly, even as incidence in the United States overall stayed about the same. The increased incidence was not accompanied by an increase in prostate cancer mortality. Trends in local stage incidence and incidence among men aged 65 to 79 years mirrored the trends in overall prostate cancer incidence and suggest that changes are due to screening behavior. However, it is difficult to determine what may have caused increased screening among Montana men since 2014. Monitoring prostate cancer incidence and mortality is an important tool in determining if there is a change in prostate cancer disease burden or in overdiagnosis, and informs planning for possible public health intervention.