1. The incidence of prostate cancer is increasing year by year Prostate cancer has become the malignant tumor with the highest incidence in urology, and is one of the most important health killers for older men. Worldwide, the incidence of prostate cancer ranks 2nd among all malignant tumors in men and the mortality rate ranks 5th. Statistics show that in 2012, the number of new cases of prostate cancer reached 1,111,000 and deaths reached 307,000 worldwide, and the incidence of prostate cancer will increase year by year in the future. It is expected that by 2030, the annual number of new cases of prostate cancer will reach 1.7 million and the annual number of deaths will reach 500,000 worldwide. In the United States, prostate cancer has the 1st highest incidence rate, and according to the American Cancer Society (data published in Cancer statistics 2015): in 2015, the number of prostate cancer cases in the United States will reach 220,800, accounting for 26% of all malignant tumor incidences; and in 2015, the number of prostate cancer deaths in the United States will reach 27,540, accounting for 9% of all malignant tumor deaths. The incidence of prostate cancer in China is low compared to that in developed countries such as Europe and the United States, but is rapidly increasing; and it is growing more rapidly than in developed countries. In the last 20 years, the incidence of prostate cancer in China has increased more than 10 times. According to statistics, from 1988 to 1994, the annual growth rate of prostate cancer incidence in China was 2.1%, while from 1994 to 2002, the annual growth rate reached 13.4%. 2009 statistics show that the incidence rate of prostate cancer in China’s tumor registration area is 9.92/100,000, which has become the highest incidence of urological malignant tumor, ranking the highest among men. The incidence rate of prostate cancer in urban areas is more than 4 times higher than that in rural areas. Among them, Shanghai has the highest incidence rate in China, reaching 32,23/100,000; Beijing and Guangzhou have incidence rates of 19,3/100,000 and 17,57/100,000 respectively. 2. Age is a clear risk factor for prostate cancer Prostate cancer mainly occurs in older men. The incidence of prostate cancer increases gradually with age. The median age of newly diagnosed patients is 72 years, with a peak age of 75-79 years. In the United States, more than 70% of prostate cancer patients are older than 65 years of age; in China, the incidence of prostate cancer in men younger than 60 years of age is low, but its incidence increases significantly over 60 years of age. In Europe and the United States, more and more prostate cancer patients are found during medical checkups and are then diagnosed and treated early. As a result, the 5-year survival rate of prostate cancer in Europe and the United States has reached 90%. Although the incidence of prostate cancer in China is increasing rapidly, the level of prostate cancer prevention and treatment in China is still low compared to developed countries such as Europe and the United States, and early screening and medical checkups have not received sufficient attention. Early stage prostate cancer is usually asymptomatic, and without regular medical checkups, there is no way to know that it has developed. When prostate cancer enters advanced stage and symptoms such as frequent urination, urgent urination, hematuria, difficulty in urination and bone pain appear, it indicates that the cancer has entered advanced stage and patients often miss the best time for treatment, which is the main reason why the 5-year survival rate of prostate cancer patients in China is less than 50%. Therefore, older men should pay attention to regular medical checkups and pay attention to prostate cancer as a health killer China. In the next issue, the author will further talk about how to detect prostate cancer early. The author hopes that the dissemination of health knowledge will bring some benefit to our elderly men.