Prostate cancer: Scottish data

Detailed statistics on prostate cancer in Scotland are available as downloadable Excel files via the prostate cancer area of the ISD Scotland website. Direct links to some of these Excel files are provided below.

Incidence

In Scotland, prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, after non-melanoma skin cancer.  It accounts for 19% of all cancers diagnosed in men. The age-standardised incidence rate of prostate cancer has been increasing for many years, with especially steep increases occurring during the 1990s (Chart 1 (view chart)
 Close ).  While part of the increasing incidence of prostate cancer may reflect a genuine increase in risk, much of it seems likely to reflect increased detection of latent disease through increasing use of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test (Brewster et al, 2000).  Variations in use of PSA testing make it difficult to interpret geographical variations in incidence. The disease is uncommon below the age of 50. Thereafter, incidence increases quite steeply with age.

ISD data file: Prostate cancer annual incidence (863KB) 

Mortality

Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men, after lung and colorectal cancer. Mortality from prostate cancer has been decreased almost 12% over the period 1998-2009 (Chart 2 (view chart)
 Close ).

ISD data file: Prostate cancer annual mortality (182KB)

Survival

Survival from prostate cancer is moderately favourable with a 5-year relative survival of 85.5% in patients diagnosed between 2003 and 2007.

ISD data file: Prostate cancer survival (21.5KB)

Prevalence

Since prostate cancer is relatively common and the prognosis is often favourable, the prevalence of the disease is moderately high, with almost 4% of men aged over 65 living with prostate cancer. A further, unknown percentage are likely to have undiagnosed prostate cancer.

ISD data file: Prostate cancer prevalence (16.5KB)

Lifetime Risk

Based on current rates of disease, an estimated 1 in 12 men develop prostate cancer during their lifetime.

ISD data file: Prostate cancer lifetime risk (16KB)

Deprivation

The incidence of prostate cancer is higher among men from areas of less socioeconomic deprivation, but it is not clear whether this is due to genuine differences in risk or simply differences in detection through use of the PSA test. 

ISD data file: Prostate cancer and deprivation  (28KB)