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Misinterpreting ACS PCa Data?

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Posted 1/30/2020 2:53 PM (GMT -5)
The Prostate Cancer Foundation has sent me at least two emails because they are "concerned" about the way some people are viewing ACS 2020 report. The PCF addressed several claims, while also doing some self-promotion. I found this interesting:

Claim 5: The decline in death rate for prostate cancer has bottomed out.
Answer: That is complicated.

Between 2016-2017, the death rate declined slightly. But for the previous period in time, it increased, leaving us with a net decline of almost zero over the last two-year period reported (-0.1%). Why might this be? Here’s one thought: Baby Boomers, a sizably larger generation than the one before it, are coming of age for cancer. It’s a numbers game: volume alone will account for more cases and deaths. We’re finding more cases, but we are also curing more cases. It’s not a simple equation… but that doesn’t mean we aren’t working to solve it.

Also interesting was no mention of The Task Force anywhere in the article.

https://www.pcf.org/blog/why-are-so-many-people-misinterpreting-the-acs-prostate-cancer-data/?utm_source=newspulse&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jan20np
Posted 1/30/2020 3:02 PM (GMT -5)
I think we also need to remember that the median time from diagnosis to death for PCa is fairly long. I'm betting at least 10 years. So, the men who are dying this year were diagnosed 10 more more years ago--which has to mess with the statistics in a challenging way.
Posted 1/31/2020 7:41 AM (GMT -5)
Another problem is that for a time at least, prostate cancer was greatly overtreated, with lots of guys with borderline cases having the prostates removed. There was a backlash to this with some authorities recommending against routine PSA screening. I suppose this prevented overtreatment but probably also resulted in undertreatment. Are they getting it right now?
Posted 1/31/2020 8:55 AM (GMT -5)
That blog of theirs sent me into a bit of a rage. Are the stats complicated, of course, but what is to be gained by downplaying this disease? My response to them:

Wow, this is literally the exact opposite message I would expect from the PCF. Yes, the stats are complicated, but what is to be gained from DOWNPLAYING the very disease you're supposed to be advocating for?!? In case you missed it, Bleyer et al recently published some very interesting analysis around the increase in deadly PCA in young men over the past 15 years. There are fathers of toddlers in their early 40s dying of this disease and the message you want to send is that actually things are fine and getting better? Prostate cancer research is 20+ years behind breast cancer, and with this attitude from the organization that is supposed to be leading the charge it is no wonder.
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