Prostate cancer mortality in northern Sweden, with special reference to tumor grade and patient age

Urology. 1997 Mar;49(3):374-8. doi: 10.1016/S0090-4295(96)00508-0.

Abstract

Objectives: This study is designed to estimate the prostate cancer-specific mortality according to patient age and tumor grade in an unselected population of patients with prostate cancer who mostly received deferred or direct hormonal treatment as initial treatment.

Methods: The study population was composed of 6514 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer during 1971 to 1987 in northern Sweden. For those who died during follow-up, the cause of death was determined from the comprehensive Swedish registry data (population registries and causes of death registry).

Results: About 85% of these patients died during the 7 to 23 years of follow-up, and the prostate cancer-specific mortality was estimated to be 55%. Age at diagnosis was found to be a strong predictor of prostate cancer death. Patients diagnosed before the age of 60 had an 80% risk of dying of prostate cancer, whereas those over 80 years of age at diagnosis had less than a 50% risk of prostate cancer-related death.

Conclusions: The prostate cancer mortality is high but decreases with older age at diagnosis. We found, using data from the causes of death registry, that the relative survival and the cause-specific survival of these patients were compatible with each other.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Survival Rate
  • Sweden / epidemiology