Potential years of life lost due to urogenital cancer in the United States: trends from 1972 to 2006 based on data from the SEER database.

PURPOSE

Urogenital cancer is a major health problem in the United States. We assessed potential years of life lost secondary to genitourinary cancer in the United States from 1972 to 2006 using the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results) database. We report trends in potential years of life lost during the same period.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Potential years of life lost were calculated to assess premature mortality trends for ureter, bladder, kidney and renal pelvis, penis, testis and prostate cancers. Calculations were based on SEER cancer mortality data. Potential years of life lost up to and including age 75 years were calculated by and across genders in 5-year increments between 1972 and 2006.

RESULTS

A total of 7,733,235 potential years of life were lost in men and women. In each gender the greatest potential loss was for kidney and renal pelvis cancer related mortality. In each gender no improvement in the potential loss due to ureteral and bladder cancer related mortality was observed during 3 decades. In males the greatest decrease in potential years of life lost was for testicular cancer, followed by prostate cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

There has been an increasing trend in potential years of life lost related to urogenital cancer during the last 35 years for males and females. This trend is mainly due to an increase in kidney cancer. The continued increase in potential years of life lost due to renal cancer and the lack of a decrease in the loss in those with bladder cancer should alert urologists and health care policy makers to deficient areas that most need to be addressed.