Prostate Cancer

Histologic evidence of Prostate Cancer on autopsy
1. Men over age 50 years: 30%
2. Men over age 80 years: 70%
Clinical Incidence
1. Incidence (2017 in U.S.): 161,000 new cases
2. Incidence tripled in 10 years prior to 1997 (PSA detection)
3. Lifetime diagnosis occurs in 17% of men (1 in 6)
  1. Prostate Cancer diagnosis after age 65 years old in 60% of cases
  2. Prostate Cancer deaths are in over age 75 years old in 70% of cases
Mortality
1. Second leading cause of cancer death in men (Second to Lung Cancer)
2. However, only 3% of men die of Prostate Cancer (26,700 deaths in 2017, U.S.)

Age (Incidental finding on Autopsy)
1. Age 50 years: 30% incidence Prostate Cancer
2. Age 60 years: 35% incidence Prostate Cancer
3. Age 70 years: 40% incidence Prostate Cancer
4. Age 80 years: 55% incidence Prostate Cancer
5. Age over 90 years: 100% incidence Prostate Cancer
Ethnicity
1. Black Men: 64 per 100,000 (confers twice risk of caucasian men)
2. Caucasian Men: 26 per 100,000 (confers twice risk of asian men)
3. Lower risk ethnicity: Asian and hispanic
Family History (Relative Risk of Prostate Cancer)
1. First degree relative with Prostate Cancer: Relative Risk of 2.5 to 3
2. Brother with Prostate Cancer before age 63: Relative Risk of 4
3. Sister with Breast Cancer: Relative Risk of 2
4. Other Family History that increases Prostate Cancer risk
  1. More than one first degree relative is affected
  2. Affected relative was under age 55 at diagnosis
Nutritional Supplements
1. Vitamin E Supplementation (400 units/day)
  1. Prostate Cancer risk increases 1 new case in 625 men
  2. Klein (2011) JAMA 306:1549-56. [PubMed]
2. Omega 3 Fatty Acid Supplementation
  1. Prostate Cancer increased risk in some studies (preliminary)
  2. Brasky (2013) J Natl Cancer Inst 105:1132 [PubMed]
  3. Brasky (2011) Am J Epidemiol 173(12): 1429–39 [PubMed]
Factors not with additional cancer risk
1. Ejaculation frequency not associated with cancer risk
2. Leitzmann (2004) JAMA 291:1578-86 [PubMed]

Indications
1. No screening is recommended as of 2012 by AAFP and USPTF
2. Other organizations (ACS, ACP, AUA) recommend offering screening via Shared Decision Making
  1. See Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) for Informed Consent scripting
Timing (if screening is performed)
1. Start screening (some recommend every other year)
  1. Normal risk: Starting at age 50 years old (ACP, ACS) or age 55 (AUA)
  2. High Risk: Starting at age 40 years old (AUA) or 45 years old (ACS)
    1. Examples: Black men, first degree relative with Prostate Cancer <65 years old
2. Stop screening
  1. Stop screening by age 70 years old OR
  2. Less than 10 to 15 years Life Expectancy (ACS/AUA)
    1. See Charlson Comorbidity Index (CALE)
3. Frequency of testing
  1. Every 1-2 years
4. References
  1. Mulhem (2015) Am Fam Physician 92(8): 683-8 [PubMed]
Testing
1. See Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)
2. Digital Rectal Exam (evaluate for asymmetry, nodularity)
  1. Test Sensitivity: <60%
  2. Test Specificity: >83%
  3. Positive Predictive Value: <28%
  4. Summary: Poor efficacy with high False Positive and False Negative Rate
  5. Hoogendam (1999) Fam Pract 16(6): 621-6 [PubMed]

Transrectal Ultrasonography-guided Prostate biopsy
1. Biopsy cores (12 cores are standard)
  1. Twelve cores are significantly more sensitive than 6 without increased complication risk
  2. However, even 12 cores sample only 1% of the Prostate, and 20% False Negative Rate
  3. Eichler (2006) J Urol 175(5): 1605-12 [PubMed]

Spine Metastasis (90% of Prostate Cancer metastasis)
1. Involves Vertebral Column in 85% of cases
2. Most often affects Lumbar Spine
3. Identified 19 months from initial diagnosis
4. Recurrence is common (45% risk within 2 years)
Lung Metastasis (50% of Prostate Cancer metastasis)
1. Identified 35 months from initial diagnosis
Liver Metastasis (25% of Prostate Cancer metastasis)
Brain Metastasis (rare)
1. Identified 60 months from initial diagnosis
2. Poor prognosis (average survival 7.6 months)
References
1. Benjamin (2002) Am Fam Physician 65(9): 1834-40 [PubMed]