Prostate cancer statistics
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). It is the 3rd leading cause of death from cancer in men in Canada.
To provide the most current cancer statistics, statistical methods are used to estimate the number of new cancer cases and deaths until actual data become available.
Incidence and mortality
Incidence is the total number of new cases of cancer. Mortality is the number of deaths due to cancer.
Cancer statistics are currently collected, analyzed and reported based on the sex assigned at birth, with male/men and female/women categories. We need to address gaps in how statistics are collected to better understand cancer in transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people.
It is estimated that in 2024:
- 27,900 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. This represents 22% of all new cancer cases in men in 2024.
- 5,000 Canadian men will die from prostate cancer. This represents 11% of all cancer deaths in men in 2024.
- On average, 76 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every day.
- On average, 14 Canadian men will die from prostate cancer every day.
|
Category |
Men |
|---|---|
|
New cases |
27,900 |
|
Deaths |
5,000 |
|
5-year net survival (estimates for 2015 to 2017) |
91% |
Trends in prostate cancer
In Canada, the rate of new prostate cancer cases peaked in 1993, in 2001, between 2007 and 2008, and again in 2011. Each of these peaks was followed by a decline. The decline was particularly steep between 2011 and 2014 and has since stabilized. The patterns in the rate of new prostate cancer cases largely mirror screening activity using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.
The death rate for prostate cancer has been declining since 1995. The decline likely reflects improved treatment.
Chances (probability) of developing or dying from prostate cancer
It is estimated that about 1 in 8 Canadian men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime and 1 in 30 will die from it.
For more information about cancer statistics, go to Canadian Cancer Statistics.