Survival by stage at diagnosis indicates the probability of surviving for a specified time-period depending on the extent of the cancer (stage) at diagnosis. To assist in interpreting the data, some of the findings in the following sections are grouped into:
- Early stage cancers (stage 1 and 2) – restricted to the local area of origin of the cancer;
- Locally advanced cancers (stage 3) – cancers which have spread locally; and
- Metastatic cancers (stage 4) – cancers which have spread to distant sites.
The stage at diagnosis for prostate cancer has been derived from data sources that are routinely accessible to all population-based cancer registries. These data are intended to be used for broad population-based analyses, and not to guide care of an individual.
The data showed that for prostate cancers diagnosed in 2011, a high proportion of cases were diagnosed as early stage cancers:
- Early stage cancers (stage 1 and 2) accounted for around four in five (82%) of incident cases.
- Stage 1 cancers accounted for 36% of cases (7,186 cases);
- Stage 2 cancers accounted for 46% of cases (9,245 cases).
- Locally advanced cancers (stage 3) accounted for 11% of cases (2,246 cases);
- Metastatic cancers (stage 4) accounted for 4% of cases (836 cases).
- It was not possible to determine stage at diagnosis for 3% of cases (unknown stage; 528 cases).
More information on the distribution of stage at diagnosis can be accessed through the ‘Distribution of cancer stage’ measure.
Relative survival by RD-stage at diagnosis for prostate cancers diagnosed in 2011
Relative survival for all prostate cancers
Survival for males diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011 was high at:
- 99% at 1 year from diagnosis;
- 97% at 3 years from diagnosis;
- 96% at 5 years from diagnosis.
Although these data provide insights into survival for males diagnosed with prostate cancer, it is also important to examine how survival differs by the extent to which a cancer has spread when first diagnosed.
Relative survival by RD-stage for all prostate cancers
Examining relative survival by stage at diagnosis showed that survival was higher for males diagnosed with early or locally advanced stage prostate cancers (stage 1 to 3) and survival remained high up to 5 years from diagnosis. Cancers diagnosed as metastatic (stage 4) had progressively lower survival in subsequent years from diagnosis compared to stage 1 to 3 cancers. Survival by stage at diagnosis is examined in more detail in the following sections.
Relative survival for early stage prostate cancers
For males diagnosed with early stage cancers (stage 1 and 2), survival remained high up to 5 years from diagnosis.
Survival for males diagnosed with:
- Stage 1 cancers was 100% at 1, 3 and 5 years from diagnosis;
- Stage 2 cancers was at least 98% at 1, 3 and 5 years from diagnosis.
Relative survival for advanced prostate cancers
Survival was high for males diagnosed with locally advanced cancers (stage 3) up to 5 years from diagnosis. Survival was lower for males diagnosed with metastatic cancers (stage 4) and progressively decreased with increasing time from diagnosis.
Survival for males diagnosed with:
- Locally advanced cancers (stage 3) was 100% at 1, 3 and 5 years from diagnosis;
- Metastatic cancers (stage 4) decreased from 71% to 48% between 1 and 3 years from diagnosis. Survival decreased further to 36% at 5 years from diagnosis.
Relative survival by stage at diagnosis and age in 2011
Relative survival by age for prostate cancers
The analysis in the following section examines overall patterns in relative survival across age groups where there were sufficient numbers for reporting purposes. The overall trend showed a lower survival with increasing age for metastatic cancers (stage 4). Guidance for interpreting the data can be found in the ‘About the Data’ tab.
For stage 1 cancers:
- Survival was similar across all age groups at 1 year (100%) and 3 years from diagnosis (between 96% and 100%) where data were available;
- Survival was similar for males in age groups between 40 and 84 years at 5 years from diagnosis (between 97% and 100%).
For stage 2 cancers:
- Survival was similar across all age groups at 1 year (between 98% and 100%) and 3 years (between 95% and 100%) from diagnosis where data were available;
- Survival was similar for males in age groups between 40 and 84 years at 5 years from diagnosis (between 98% and 100%).
For locally advanced cancers (stage 3):
- Survival was similar for males:
- In age groups between 45 and 84 years at 1 year from diagnosis (between 96% and 100%);
- In age groups between 45 and 79 years at 3 years from diagnosis (100%);
- In age groups between 50 and 79 years at 5 years from diagnosis (between 97% and 100%).
For metastatic cancers (stage 4):
- Survival varied across age groups between 50 and 85 years and over at 1 year (between 43% and 92%), 3 years (between 21% and 77%), and 5 years from diagnosis (between 21% and 64%).
- Survival generally decreased with increasing age for males:
- In age groups 50 and 85 years and over from 92% to 43% at 1 year from diagnosis;
- In age groups between 60 and 84 years from 73% to 21% at 3 years from diagnosis;
- In age groups between 60 and 79 years from 64% to 21% at 5 years from diagnosis.
Relative survival by age (<50 years and ≥50 years age groups) for prostate cancers
This section examines patterns in relative survival for males aged 50 years and over compared to males aged less than 50 years. A similar proportion of cases (between 1% and 3% of cancers) were not able to be staged for both age groups.
- Males aged 50 years and over when diagnosed:
- Accounted for 97% of cases eligible for staging;
- Had a high proportion of cases (82%) diagnosed at an early stage (stage 1, 36%; stage 2, 46%) whilst more advanced cancers combined accounted for around 16% of cases (stage 3, 11%; stage 4, 4%).
- Males aged less than 50 years when diagnosed:
- Accounted for a low proportion of cases overall (3%);
- Had a high proportion of cases (86%) diagnosed at an early stage (stage 1, 46%; stage 2, 41%) whilst more advanced cancers combined accounted for 12% of cases (stage 3, 10%; stage 4, 2%).
For early stage and locally advanced prostate cancers (stage 1 to 3), survival by stage at diagnosis was similar for both age groups at 1, 3 and 5 years from diagnosis (at least 98%).
For metastatic cancers (stage 4), survival was not reported for males aged less than 50 years due to small numbers.
Observed survival by stage at diagnosis and remoteness area in 2011
For examination of survival by remoteness area, the data apply to observed rather than relative survival due to an absence of life tables. More information can be found in the ‘About the Data’ tab
For stage 1 cancers, there was a small but significant difference in observed survival between males living in Inner and Outer Regional areas compared to Major Cities at 5 years from diagnosis (87% compared to 90%).
For stage 2 cancers, there was a difference in observed survival between males living in Inner and Outer Regional areas compared to Major Cities (85% compared to 87%) and Remote and Very Remote areas compared to Major Cities (79% compared to 87%) at 5 years from diagnosis.
For metastatic cancers (stage 4), observed survival by stage at diagnosis was not reported for Remote and Very Remote areas at 3 and 5 years from diagnosis due to small numbers. For metastatic cancers (stage 4), there tended to be a difference in observed survival between males living in Remote and Very Remote areas compared to Major Cities at 1 year from diagnosis (91% compared to 69%), although this difference should be interpreted with caution due to the large confidence intervals.
Observed survival by stage at diagnosis and socioeconomic status (SES) area in 2011
For examination of survival by SES areas, the data apply to observed rather than relative survival due to an absence of life tables. More information can be found in the ‘About the Data’ tab
For prostate cancers, observed survival by stage at diagnosis was generally similar across SES areas at 1, 3 and 5-years from diagnosis for males diagnosed with locally advanced cancer (stage 3).
For stage 1 cancers, there was a small but significant difference in observed survival between males living in the:
- Highest SES areas (SES5, 95%) compared to the lowest SES areas (SES1, 92%) at 3 years from diagnosis;
- Highest SES areas (SES5, 91%) compared to lower SES areas (SES1-2, 87%) at 5 years from diagnosis.
For stage 2 cancers, there was a small but significant difference in observed survival between males living in the:
- Highest SES areas (SES5, 94%) compared to lower SES areas (SES1-3, between 90% and 92%) at 3 years from diagnosis;
- Highest SES areas (SES5, 90%) compared to lower SES areas (SES1-3, between 82% and 86%) at 5 years from diagnosis.
For metastatic cancers (stage 4), there was a difference in observed survival for males living in the highest SES areas (SES5, 77%) compared to lower SES areas (SES2, 62%) at 1 year from diagnosis.
Observed survival by stage at diagnosis and Indigenous status in 2011
Analyses of survival by stage at diagnosis were not undertaken by Indigenous status due to small numbers.