The Prostate Cancer Charity comments on figures released by the Office for National Statistics which show men in Wales have a 17 per cent higher incidence rate of prostate cancer than the UK average.
The Prostate Cancer Charity's Head of Policy and Campaigns, Dr Sarah Cant, said: "These new statistics show a larger than average incidence of prostate cancer in men in Wales, compared to the rest of the UK. However, the prostate cancer mortality figures are the same as the UK average.
"Although the risk of prostate cancer increases with age, it is unlikely that the age of the Welsh population will account for this difference in incidence of the disease. This is because the rates are age-standardised, which means they take into account the age profile of each population and are calculated so that they can be compared with those of any other country in Europe.
"Although there is no concrete evidence to suggest this, the higher incidence in Wales could be due to increased detection of early prostate cancer. For example, more men in the country may be deciding to have a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test, a simple blood test that can be used to indicate a problem with the prostate. If the majority of cancers found as a result are non-aggressive and diagnosed at an early stage it is unlikely that they would lead to a greater number of deaths from prostate cancer due to the treatment options available.
"There is not any evidence that we are aware of that we can use to compare the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer in Wales compared to the rest of the UK. The guidance on PSA testing has been shared across the UK and many of the clinical treatment guidelines are used in both England and Wales. It would be interesting to find out whether there are differences in the way Welsh prostate cancer services are delivered and to explore any examples of ‘Gold Standard’ care that could be shared."
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