The National Cancer Data Base report on longitudinal observations on prostate cancer

Data on 349,154 prostate cancer cases diagnosed since 1986 have been entered to the American College of Surgeons National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Previous annual reports have examined subsets of these data. The present report highlights major trends in the presentation and treatment of prostate cancer in the United States evident from longitudinal analyses of the entire data.

NCDB data are collected following a computerized, standard format. Hospital participation is voluntary.

Since the first year of data collection, the number of participating hospitals has increased from 496 to 996 and the number of prostate cancer patients reported to the NCDB increased from 19,531 to 84,408. The proportion of men diagnosed at ages younger than 70 years increased from 37.8% in 1986 to 46.9% in 1993. Completeness of reporting stage of disease and tumor grade has improved. The proportions of both the earliest (American joint Committee an Cancer [AJCC] Stage Groups 0 and I) and the most advanced (AJCC++ Stage Group IV) stages declined. The proportion of Grade 2 (moderately differentiated) tumors increased from 38.6% in 1986 to 57.5% in 1993. The proportion of AJCC Stage II prostate cancer increased from 19% in 1986 to 48.4% in 1993. The proportion of patients treated by prostatectomy increased from 9.9% in 1986 to 29.2% in 1993. The proportion of patients receiving no cancer directed treatment declined from 41.8% in 1986 to 21.6% in 1993. Less change was observed in the use of radiation and hormonal treatments.

These data show that the clinical patterns of prostate cancer have changed markedly in recent years.