Update on prostate cancer epidemiology in Morocco

Prostate cancer stands as the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men globally, with over 600,000 new cases annually. In-depth epidemiological studies play a pivotal role in delineating the unique characteristics of specific populations. This study endeavors to comprehensively document the histopathological pattern of Moroccan prostate cancer patients while assessing the extent of underdiagnosis risk within the Moroccan population. A retrospective cross-sectional study, encompassing 141 cases of prostate cancer, was conducted. Prostate cancer-confirming biopsies were executed at both the University Hospital Hassan II in Fez and the University Hospital Mohammed VI in Oujda between 2015 and 2021. Statistical analysis employed SPSS version 21 software. The mean age at presentation was 72 years. Prostatic adenocarcinoma emerged as the only histopathological type observed in our patients. Clinically staged diseases (T2, T3, and T4) were manifested in 71.1% of patients. Poorly differentiated tumors (Gleason grades 8, 9, and 10) were identified in 29.2% of cases. The majority of enrolled patients exhibited an intermediate to high-risk disease state. Our findings underscore the significance of prostate cancer as a substantial public health burden, given the severity of this pathology and the limited accessibility to diagnosis within the population. These results substantiate the necessity for further research into the epidemiology of prostate cancer in Morocco.