Comparison of Prostate Cancer Mortality in Five Countries: France, Italy, Japan, UK and USA from the WHO Mortality Database (1960–2000)

Abstract

Prostate cancer mortality age-standardized rates (ASRs; using 1985 Japanese standard population) are shown for Japan, USA, UK, France and Italy (Fig. 1). ASRs for Japanese males were much lower compared to those observed among males in the USA, UK, France and Italy. However, ASRs in Japan have been constantly and dramatically increasing from 1960 to 2000, and the difference in ASRs between Japan and the other four countries have recently diminished. ASRs of prostate cancer among males from the USA, UK, France and Italy were similar while those among Italian men tended to be lower. For the four countries other than Japan, ASRs for these four decades have maintained a plateau or increased slightly. Elevation in ASRs of prostate cancer among males from the USA and UK was observed in the late-1980s with a peak around 1990, followed recently by a decreasing trend.