Trends in Prostate Cancer Incidence Rates and Prevalence of Prostate Specific Antigen Screening by Socioeconomic Status and Regions in the United States, 2004 to 2013

Abstract

To our knowledge it is unknown whether decreases in the prevalence of prostate specific antigen screening and prostate cancer incidence rates following the USPSTF (United States Preventive Services Task Force) recommendations against routine prostate specific antigen screening are similar across socioeconomic groups and United States census regions. We analyzed incidence rates and prostate specific antigen screening prevalence by age, race/ethnicity, disease stage, United States region and area level socioeconomic status. Annual percent changes were examined for changes in rates with time. The predicted marginal probability and 95% CIs were calculated to estimate changes in prostate specific antigen screening. Incidence rates in men 50 years old or older decreased in all race/ethnic, regional and socioeconomic status groups. From 2007 to 2013 the overall incidence rates for localized cancer significantly decreased 7.5% per year (95% CI -10.5--4.4) at ages 50 to 74 years and 11.1% per year (95% CI -14.1--8.1) at ages 75 years or greater. In contrast, the incidence of distant stage cancer significantly increased 1.4% per year (95% CI 0.3-2.5) from 2008 to 2013 at ages 50 to 74 years but stabilized from 2011 to 2013 at ages 75 years or greater at 5.1% per year (95% CI -3.4-14.4). Distant stage disease rates increased with increasing poverty level at ages 50 to 74 years but not at 75 years or greater. The prostate cancer incidence of early stage disease decreased in men 50 years old or older while the rate of distant stage disease slightly increased in men 50 to 74 years old following USPSTF recommendations against routine prostate specific antigen screening. Further studies with additional years of data are needed to substantiate our findings and monitor the effects of the late stage disease increase on prostate cancer mortality rates.