Epidemiology of prostate cancer in the mediterranean population of Croatia--a thirty-three year retrospective study

• Published in: Collegium antropologicum Vol. 31; no. 1; p. 235
• Main Authors: Spanjol, Josip, Maricić, Anton, Cicvarić, Tedi, Valencić, Maksim, Oguić, Romano, Tadin, Tomislav, Fuckar, Dora, Bobinac, Mirna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Croatia 01-03-2007
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Croatia - epidemiology; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Prostate-Specific Antigen - blood; Prostatic Neoplasms - epidemiology; Retrospective Studies; Croatia
• ISSN: 0350-6134

Prostate cancer is a major public health problem of the male population in all the developed countries. This non-skin cancer is the foremost one facing man today. Prostate cancer has become the second leading cause of cancer death2. In this study we investigated changes in the prostate carcinoma incidence and manifestation during a thirty-three years period. The study included 1226 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed from 1972 to 2005 in the Primorsko-Goranska County, Croatia. The age-adjusted incidence of prostate cancer increased from 1.69 per 100,000 men annually in 1972 to 137.58 per 100,000 men annually in 2005, which is an 81.4-fold increase. The percentage ofpatients with bone metastases on the first medical examination decreased from 1972 (75%) to 2005 (15%). The most of the patients with bone metastases at the first medical examination were between 30 and 50 years old. Early detection measures, such as prostate specific antigen testing and transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy combined with the raised public awareness of the disease, most probably resulted in an increase of incidence.