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The society issued the figures ahead of European Prostate Cancer Awareness Day, highlighting the continuing impact of the disease on men\u2019s health and the latest developments in early detection and diagnosis across Europe.<\/p>\n
According to the latest estimates from the European Cancer Information System (ECIS) for 2024, prostate cancer ranks as the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the European Union. It accounts for 22.3% of all newly diagnosed cancers in men, or almost one in four cases.<\/p>\n
19 new diagnoses every day in Greece<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Data from the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN 2022) of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) estimates that Greece recorded 7,036 new prostate cancer cases in 2022.<\/p>\n The figure represented 19.2% of all new cancer cases among men in Greece, equivalent to an average of more than 19 new diagnoses each day.<\/p>\n Earlier detection and diagnosis<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n The figures come as Europe adopts a more systematic approach to the early detection and diagnosis of prostate cancer.<\/p>\n In August 2026, the European Commission announced the launch of work on the European Commission Initiative on Prostate Cancer (EC-PrC).<\/p>\n The initiative aims to develop European recommendations for screening and diagnosis based on available scientific evidence, as well as a common quality framework for prostate cancer care services.<\/p>\n Prostate cancer burden expected to rise<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n The Hellenic Urological Society warns that the global burden of prostate cancer could increase substantially over the coming decades.<\/p>\n According to the Lancet Commission on Prostate Cancer, annual cases worldwide could rise from around 1.4 million in 2020 to 2.9 million by 2040. Annual deaths could increase by approximately 85%, from 375,000 to almost 700,000.<\/p>\n The projected increase largely reflects global population growth and ageing, making effective strategies for early detection increasingly important.<\/p>\n Screening becomes more targeted<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Recent scientific evidence is also changing how doctors approach prostate cancer screening, according to the Hellenic Urological Society.<\/p>\n The European Association of Urology (EAU) 2026 guidelines support a more personalised approach that takes each man\u2019s individual risk into account.<\/p>\n PSA testing remains a key tool, but doctors do not rely on a single PSA measurement alone. Urologists can consider factors including age, family history and overall health. Where further investigation proves necessary, they can also use additional tools such as prostate MRI and validated risk-calculation models.<\/p>\n The 2026 EAU guidelines recommend an MRI before biopsy when doctors suspect localised prostate cancer. MRI findings, combined with other clinical information, can help urologists determine which men need a biopsy.<\/p>\n The guidelines also incorporate newer evidence on MRI, risk-calculation models and emerging imaging techniques.<\/p>\n \u201cThe direction of modern urology is therefore clear: the goal is not to carry out more tests on all men, but to identify early those at greater risk of developing a clinically significant form of the disease, while avoiding unnecessary biopsies and treatments where it is safe to do so,\u201d the Hellenic Urological Society said.<\/p>\n Europe develops new approach to early detection<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n The PRAISE-U (PRostate cancer Awareness and Initiative for Screening in the European Union) programme follows the same approach. It aims to examine how Europe can implement organised early-detection programmes that adapt screening to each man\u2019s risk and the capabilities of individual national health systems.<\/p>\n The next step is the European Commission\u2019s EC-PrC initiative.<\/p>\n On August 19, 2026, the European Commission announced that work on the initiative had begun. The project aims to develop Europe\u2019s first scientifically evidence-based guidelines and quality requirements for prostate cancer screening and diagnosis.<\/p>\n Andreas Skolarikos, President of the Hellenic Urological Society, said the scale of prostate cancer in Europe highlights the importance of early detection.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen almost one in four cancers diagnosed in men in the European Union concerns the prostate, the importance of early detection becomes clear,\u201d Skolarikos said.<\/p>\n He added that modern urology no longer focuses on subjecting all men to the same tests at the same frequency. Instead, it is moving towards personalised screening based on each man\u2019s estimated risk, combining PSA testing with newer diagnostic tools.<\/p>\n Skolarikos described the new European initiative as an important step towards a more systematic and scientifically grounded approach to the early detection of prostate cancer.<\/p>\n The Hellenic Urological Society also stressed that prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms in its early stages.<\/p>\n It therefore advises men to discuss their individual risk with a urologist and jointly determine when screening should begin and how frequently it should take place.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n