The American Cancer Society (ACS) has published its annual Prostate Cancer Statistics, 2025 report, showing increasing incidence rates alongside slowing declines in mortality rates.1
Data for the report were collected by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Population-based incidence data were analyzed through 2021, and mortality data were analyzed through 2023.
The ACS estimates that in 2025, there will be 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer and 35,770 deaths due to the disease.
Trends in Incidence and Mortality
Overall, the data showed a marked reversal in prostate cancer incidence trends in recent years. Although the incidence rates declined by 6.4% per year from 2007 to 2014, data show that these rates have been increasing by 3.0% annually from 2014 to 2021. This trend has been largely driven by increasing rates of advanced-stages diagnoses, which are climbing by approximately 4.6% to 4.8% per year.
Notably, prostate cancer mortality rates have been decreasing since the 1990s, though the declines have slowed in recent years. In the 1990s and 2000s, mortality rates decreased by 3% to 4% annually. Over the past decade, these rates have waned to approximately 0.6% per year.
According to the report, rates of distant-stage disease are increasing across every age group. Specifically, rates are increasing by about 3% in those younger than 55 years and about 6% among those aged 55 years and older.
The 5-year relative survival rate for distant-stage prostate cancer is 38%, but the rate increases to nearly 100% for men diagnosed with local-stage or regional-stage disease, emphasizing the importance of early detection.
Overall, the ACS estimates that in 2025, there will be 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer and 35,770 deaths due to the disease.
Persistent Disparities
The report also sheds light on persistent and wide racial disparities.
Based on the data, Black men have a 67% higher incidence rate and are 2 times more likely to die from prostate cancer compared with White men. Similarly, Native American men have a 12% higher prostate cancer mortality rate compared with White men, despite having a 13% lower incidence rate.
“Our research highlighting the continued increases in prostate cancer incidence and persistent racial disparities underscores the need for redoubled efforts to understand the etiology of prostate cancer and optimize early detection,” commented lead author Tyler Kratzer, MPH, associate scientist, cancer surveillance research at the ACS, in a news release from the organization.2 “At age 50, per ACS guidelines, all men should have a conversation with their health care provider about the benefits and harms of screening, but Black men and those with a family history of prostate cancer should have that conversation at age 45.”
Data also showed that American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) men were the most likely racial group to be diagnosed with distant-stage disease (12% vs 8% among White men). According to the authors, this finding “at least in part reflect[s] lower screening prevalence compared with other men.”
Further, data showed that prostate cancer mortality rates are highest among Black men at 36.9 per 100,000 population, following by 20.6 deaths per 100,000 among AIAN men, 18.4 deaths per 100,000 among White men, 15.4 deaths per 100,000 among Hispanic men, and 8.8 deaths per 100,000 among Asian American and Pacific Islander men.
By geographic location, the highest prostate cancer mortality rates were observed in Washington DC (27.5 deaths per 100,000 population) and Mississippi (24.8 deaths per 100,000 population), both of which have a high proportion of Black residents.
The authors noted, “Increases in advanced diagnosis and persistent disparities highlight the need for redoubled efforts to optimize early detection and address barriers to equitable outcomes, including improved access to high-quality health care for all men.”
Ongoing Legislative Efforts
The Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening (PSA) for High-risk Insured Men (HIM) Act (H.R. 1300/S. 297) is a bipartisan bill in Congress aimed at improving access to prostate cancer screening. Specifically, this bill would waive cost-sharing requirements (deductibles, copays, and coinsurance) for prostate cancer screening tests for men who are at high-risk for the disease.
The ACS Cancer Action Network, the advocacy affiliate for the ACS, has expressed strong support for the bill.
“Out-of-pocket costs such as co-pays can be a barrier to accessing early detection,” explained Lisa A. Lacasse, president of ACS CAN, in the news release.2 “No one should be at a disadvantage against cancer. The PSA Screening for HIM Act will help remove a major obstacle that can prevent those at high risk for the disease from getting the screening tests they need to find prostate cancer at the earliest, most treatable stage.”
She added, “We urge the House and the Senate to pass this legislation to help reduce prostate cancer disparities and save more lives.”
REFERENCES
1. Kratzer TB, Mazzitelli N, Star J, et al. Prostate cancer statistics, 2025. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2025. doi:10.3322/caac.70028
2. New ACS Prostate Cancer Statistics Report: Late-stage incidence rates continue to increase rapidly as mortality declines slow. News release. American Cancer Society. September 2, 2025. Accessed September 2, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-acs-prostate-cancer-statistics-report-late-stage-incidence-rates-continue-to-increase-rapidly-as-mortality-declines-slow-302543895.html