Causes of death in men with prostate cancer: an analysis of 50,000 men from the Thames Cancer Registry

Abstract

Objective: To investigate causes of death in a UK cohort of patients with prostate cancer.

Patients and methods: We examined causes of death in a UK cohort of 50,066 men with prostate cancer diagnosed between 1997 and 2006 reported to the Thames Cancer Registry (TCR) and followed-up to the end of 2007. The underlying cause of death was taken from the death certificate. Uptake of PSA screening was low in the UK during the period studied. We examined the relationship between cause of death and patient characteristics at diagnosis including age, cancer stage, and treatment (≤6 months of diagnosis).

Results: In all, 20,181 deaths occurred during the period; 49.8% recorded as being due to prostate cancer, 17·8% to cardiovascular disease, 11·6% to other cancers, and 20·7% to other causes. Irrespective of age, cancer stage, or treatment ≤6 months of diagnosis, prostate cancer was an important cause of death ranging from 31·6% to 74·3% of all deaths in different subgroups.

Conclusion: For men with prostate cancer diagnosed in a setting where uptake of PSA screening is low, our findings challenge the belief that prostate cancer is not an important cause of death.