Abstract Context: Previous studies documented significant international variation in prostate cancer rates due to differences in detection practices, availability of treatment, and genetic factors. Objective: To provide updated contemporary prostate cancer incidence and mortality patterns across five continents using the most recent cancer incidence data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer and mortality data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Evidence acquisition: We present estimated age-standardized prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates by country and WHO regions for 2012 based on GLOBOCAN. We examined long-term (1980 onwards) trends in prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates for 38 countries with high quality population-based incidence and mortality data. Trends were expressed as annual percent change using Joinpoint model. We also examined short-term (most recent 5 years) trends in prostate cancer among 44 countries with available incidence data and 71 countries with available mortality data. Evidence synthesis: The highest incidence rates during the most recent 5 years are found in Brazil, Lithuania, and Australia, whereas the lowest incidence rates are found in Asia (India, Thailand, and Bahrain). The highest mortality rates are found in the Caribbean (Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Cuba), sub-Saharan Africa (South Africa), parts of former Soviet Union (Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia), whereas the lowest rates are found in Asia (Thailand and Turkmenistan). Of the 44 countries with high quality incidence data, prostate cancer incidence rates during the most recent five data years increased in 4 countries (with Bulgaria showing the largest increase), decreased in 7 countries (with the biggest decrease in the United States), and stabilized in the remaining 31 countries. During the same time period, in contrast, among the 71 countries considered for the mortality trend, rates decreased in 14 countries, increased in 3 countries, and remained stable in 54 countries. Conclusions: In 2012, prostate cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in 96 countries and the leading cause of death in 51 countries. In the most recent 5 years of data examined, prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates are decreasing or stabilizing in most parts of the world. Future studies should monitor trends in mortality rates and late-stage disease to assess the impact of reduction in PSA testing in several countries. Citation Format: MaryBeth Freeman, Ahmedin Jemal. Global variation in prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates, 1980-2013 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-171.