Prostate Cancer Imaging Research: The Emerging Importance of Patient-Centered Outcomes.

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among American men. Because of an aging global population, the incidence of prostate cancer is increasing. Given that the 5-year survival rate of patients with metastatic prostate cancer is 30%, but approximately 90% in those with local or regional disease, accurate staging is necessary for prognostication and treatment decisions. However, mortality due to prostate cancer (31,620 new deaths estimated in 2019) is relatively low compared with its incidence (174,650 new cases estimated in 2019) because some prostate cancers are clinically insignificant [ 2 American Cancer SocietyFacts & figures 2019. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2019/cancer-facts-and-figures-2019.pdfDate accessed: December 15, 2019 Google Scholar ]. Thus, although a highly sensitive method for prostate cancer detection is desirable to identify and treat early-stage disease, differentiation of clinically significant cancers from those that are clinically insignificant is needed to avoid overdiagnosis and overtreatment.