Martina Ondrušová1, Ján Kliment2, Dalibor Ondruš3
Introduction and Aims: The secular trend of global growth of the prostate cancer incidence by approximately 3 % is attributed to the higher and continuously increasing life expectancy of the population especially in the developed countries. The presented paper is analysing the prostate cancer incidence and mortality and possible reasons for any discovered difference in the Slovak Republic compared to selected regions and countries of the world. Results: In the Slovak Republic the prostate cancer incidence is marked by a rising trend of the age-adjusted incidence from 14.5/100,000 in 1980 (CI 95 % ± 1.4113) to 36.2/100,000 in 2005 (CI 95 % ± 2.0678). The mortality values are growing at a slower rate, from 9.4/100,000 in 1980 (CI 95 % ± 1.143), up to 14.9/100,000 (CI 95 % ± 1.308) recorded in 2005. During recent years (2001-2005) there was a drop in the national mortality data in the Slovak Republic. Conclusion: Prostate cancer is one of the most frequent malignant tumours in males, with incidence rising in western and more developed countries with wide application of PSA testing, as confirmed also by the analysis of the incidence in the Slovak Republic. Prostate cancer mortality is slightly declining or stabilized in developed countries as a result of wider application of the PSA testing, but as well as a result of over-diagnosis and over-treatment.