New evidence reveals a sharp reversal in prostate cancer trends across the United States, with advanced-stage diagnoses climbing rapidly and survival gains stalling—issues that hit Black men hardest. According to the American Cancer Society, the rate of new prostate cancer cases has increased 3% annually from 2014 to 2021, with advanced-stage disease rising 4.6% to 4.8% each year. Meanwhile, deaths have declined by just 0.6% annually in the last decade, a marked slowdown from previous decades.
Racial disparities stand out. Black men experience the highest age-adjusted rate of new diagnoses—191.5 per 100,000 compared to 118.3 for all races combined—and the youngest median age at diagnosis, 65. Their risk of death from prostate cancer is double that of all races at 36.9 per 100,000. American Indian and Alaska Native men follow at 20.6, white men at 18.4, Hispanic men at 15.4, and Asian American or Pacific Islanders at 8.8 per 100,000. Survivor rates plummet when disease is detected at distant stages, with 38% of men dying within five years; early detection is the best hope.
State differences tie closely to demographics, access to care, and socioeconomic status. Mississippi and Washington, DC, with large Black populations, post the highest death rates. Experts say that after the 2012 change in PSA screening guidelines, cancer-specific mortality rose 1.2-fold, especially for men under 75. Specialists urge redoubled efforts for awareness, early screening—starting at age 45 for Black men and those with a family history—and more equitable healthcare strategies.
See: “Prostate Cancer Stage Increasing, Survival Gains Slowing in the United States” (September 8, 2025)Â
