Valued Voice

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in the United States. The second leading cause of cancer death among men, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that prostate cancer will affect 13 out of every 100 American men in their lifetime. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 333,000 new prostate cancer cases will be diagnosed in the United States this year. The organization also reports that the death rate decreased by nearly half between 1993 and 2022, likely due to advances in early detection and treatment.

The WHA Information Center analyzed prostate cancer-related visits from January 2023 through March 2026. The data shows that the average age of patients seeking care for prostate cancer was 68, with the highest number of visits occurring among those 61 to 70 years of age. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 6 in 10 prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in men age 65 and older, and the average age at diagnosis is 67. Since 2018, there has been a gradual increase in prostate cancer-related visits, mirroring the national trend.

Here are some of the most common risk factors for developing prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society:

• The likelihood of a prostate cancer diagnosis increases rapidly after age 50.
• Men with relatives who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer face a higher risk.
• African American men have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.