title: Prostate cancer trends in Asia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Differences in the incidence and mortality rates for prostate cancer between East and West are clearly defined, with higher rates in the West and lower rates in the East. Treatment methods are generally selected in accordance with general practice guidelines, but the current reality in Asia is that there is not sufficient clinical data to set Asia-specific guidelines for treatment. This leads to a situation whereby for the large part guidelines based on scientific evidence accumulated in Western countries are followed, but from time to time cases are encountered when such guidelines may not be considered to be the most appropriate for the case at hand.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although there is a relatively large volume of clinical evidence relating to endocrine therapy in Asia, the treatment choices and effects differ to those in the West. These regional differences are thought to be due to various factors, including not only differences in genetic background, but also distinct differences in the living and healthcare environments. If the differences between East and West in terms of trends in prostate cancer could be examined, with positive aspects being adopted and negative aspects being improved, this could also be expected to be of use in developing a better treatment strategy for prostate cancer. The exchanging of information on a broader, global level will enable improvements in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is in pursuit of this objective that it is important to promote high-quality clinical trials and joint epidemiological studies in Asia and work to accumulate data that are comparable to data available in Western countries.
authors.affiliation: Strategic Investigation on Comprehensive Cancer Network, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. akazah@med.rcast.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akaza
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tokyo-Kita Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mizuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Onozawa
authors.affiliation: Center of Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hinotsu
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019049:Developed Countries; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Asia; Epidemiology; Prostate cancer