“There remains a shortage of specialist surgeons and radiotherapy equipment in LMICs, and addressing this shortage is key to improving prostate cancer care globally,” they added.

According to Dr. Vimal Dassi, Director of the Department of Urology, Uro-oncology, Robotics and Kidney Transplant, Max Healthcare, Vaishali and Noida, Uttar Pradesh, the incidence rate of prostate cancer is calculated to be 9 per 100,000 men in India, with an increasing trend being seen every year.

“The incidence of prostate cancer in Indian males is lower than in the western populations. Within India, prostate cancer has a wide variation in incidence, disease characteristics, and mortality, with the incidence being higher in the urban population,” Dr Dassi said.

“Prostate cancer is primarily a disease of the elderly, with more than three-quarters of the cases occurring in men above 65,” he said.

Aging populations and improving life expectancy will lead to more cases of prostate cancer in older men, and given that being 50 years or older is a risk factor, lifestyle changes, and public health interventions may not be able to prevent the upcoming surge.