Men encouraged to get checked for prostate cancer amid warning of projected 'surge' of cases

Doctors are now preparing for a surge in prostate cancer cases in the next 15 years, after a recent study finds the number of people diagnosed with prostate cancer is set to double by 2040.

Research from The Lancet's Commission on prostate cancer, projects the number of cases of prostate cancer are expected to more than double from 1.4 million per year to 2.9 million cases by 2040, with a predicted 700,000 deaths. The authors of the study cited aging populations and increasing life expectancy as two of the main factors for the predicted surge.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 8 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their life.

Kenneth Johnson, a part-time Sebring resident, said he’s thankful his prostate cancer was caught in the early stages. He chose to do his radiation treatment at the AdventHealth Sebring Cancer Institute, starting in December of last year. The 79-year-old said when he first went there, he was very apprehensive about receiving radiation therapy and was concerned about the possible side effects and how they could impact his quality of life, because he is otherwise healthy and very active.

“I was scared to death when I went to do it, but everybody was so nice, and matter of fact and I just relaxed,” Johnson said.

Throughout the course of his treatment, he expressed his gratitude for how kind, caring, and compassionate the staff were.

“They were always nice, always cordial, always caring, answered any questions,” Johnson said. “They were very informative. I know they were busy, but they just explained everything and answered all my questions.”

After completing his treatment in February, Johnson said he’s continuing to enjoy being active and outdoors. He enjoys spending time with his wife of 35 years, Sue, as well as fishing, woodworking and doing yardwork.

“I was lucky,” Johnson added.

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 313,780 men in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2025, and an estimated 35,770 will die from the disease. The organization also pointed out the number of prostate cancer cases being diagnosed each year has increased by 3% a year since 2014.

“Patients with prostate cancer often don’t find out they have it until the disease has advanced, that’s why is so critical for men, who are age 50 and older to get screened regularly,” Dr. Victoria Selley, Chief Medical Officer of AdventHealth Sebring, Wauchula and Lake Placid said. “Early-stage prostate cancer is highly treatable and often curable. Early symptoms can include difficult, frequent or painful urination, blood in semen or pain in the back, hips, or pelvis.”

The likelihood of developing prostate cancer varies depending on factors such as age, race/ethnicity, and family history. Age plays a significant role, with prostate cancer being uncommon in men under 40, but about 60% of cases happen in those aged 65 and older.

You can learn about urological care available through AdventHealth’s network of care at Sebring, Lake Placid and Wauchula by going to Urology Care | AdventHealth Sebring.