According to the American Cancer Society (ACS) 2008 statistics there will be an estimated 186,320 men diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. They estimate that 28,660 men will die from prostate cancer.

According to the report:

 With an estimated 28,660 deaths in 2008, prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in men. Although death rates have decreased more rapidly among African American than among white men since the early 1990s, rates in African American men remain more than twice as high as those in white men.

About 64% of all prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in men aged 65 and older. African American men and Jamaican men of African descent have the highest prostate cancer incidence rates in the world.

Recent genetic studies suggest that strong familial predisposition may be responsible for 5%-10% of prostate cancers. International studies suggest that a diet high in saturated fat may also be a risk factor.

More than 90% of all prostate cancers are discovered in the local and regional stages; the 5-year relative survival rate for patients whose tumors are diagnosed at these stages approaches 100%. Over the past 25 years, the 5-year survival rate for all stages combined has increased from 69% to almost 99%. According to the most recent data, relative 10-year survival is 91% and 15-year survival is 76%. The dramatic improvements in survival, particularly at 5 years, are partly attributable to earlier diagnosis and improvements in treatment.This ACS report a section on uninsured and underinsured individuals and the impact ability to pay for services have on cancer patient outcomes.

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