China's Prostate Cancer 5-Year Survival Rate Stands at Only 67%: Peking University First Hospital’s Gong Kan Urges Early Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment

The Situation of Prostate Cancer Prevention and Control in China Is Severe, with Low Early Diagnosis Rates Becoming a Key Bottleneck to Improving Survival Rates.

“Approximately 70% of patients are diagnosed with advanced metastatic disease at their initial visit, leaving only about 30% with early-stage cancer suitable for surgical intervention. This has resulted in a five-year survival rate for prostate cancer in China that is significantly lower than that in developed countries in Europe and the United States,” stated Gong Kan, Executive Deputy Director of the Urology Institute of Peking University and Chief Physician of the Department of Urology at Peking University First Hospital, citing a set of alarming data.

According to the 2025 U.S. cancer statistics, prostate cancer, once a relatively unfamiliar disease in China, has now become the most common malignant tumor among men.

“We have observed a rapid increase in the incidence of prostate cancer, which has now become the malignancy with the fastest-growing incidence rate among Chinese men and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in this population,” Gong Kan further stated. Data indicate that survival rates for prostate cancer patients in China are concerning. The five-year survival rate for prostate cancer in developed countries in Europe and America reaches 96.7%, whereas it is only 67% among Chinese patients.

This gap reflects differences in the timing of diagnosis.

“In the United States, the vast majority of prostate cancer patients are diagnosed at an early stage and are eligible for surgery at their initial visit. However, in China, approximately 70% of patients are already at an advanced stage with metastasis at initial diagnosis, making them unsuitable for surgical treatment,” pointed out Gong Kan. “This has resulted in a five-year survival rate for Chinese patients that is significantly lower than that in developed countries in Europe and America. This highlights the critical areas where we need to make breakthroughs: early screening, early diagnosis, and early treatment.”

“Prostate cancer is an age-related disease,” said Gong Kan. Behind the rapid rise in incidence lies China’s increasingly severe population aging trend. Gong Kan provided a set of data: approximately 370 million people in China meet the criteria for an aging society, which translates to nearly 200 million elderly men facing the threat of prostate cancer.

Gong Kan further explained that another major challenge of this disease lies in its insidious nature. “In fact, there are no symptoms in the early stages, similar to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Symptoms such as urinary frequency, urgency, and nocturia only appear; bone metastasis, bone pain, lower back pain, and even hematuria occur only in the late stages.”

Currently, the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test is a crucial tool for the early detection of prostate cancer. However, Gong Kan also points out, “Does an elevated PSA level necessarily indicate prostate cancer? No. Other factors can also cause PSA levels to rise, so differential diagnosis is required.” He recommends that men over the age of 50 undergo annual PSA testing, and if the value exceeds 4 ng/mL, they should promptly seek further evaluation at a hospital.

In addition to age, genetics is also a significant risk factor for prostate cancer. Gong Kan warns, “When there is one or more cases of prostate cancer among first-degree male relatives such as fathers or brothers, the likelihood of developing this disease is 2 to 6 times higher than that of the general population.” Furthermore, conditions and lifestyle factors such as prostatitis, obesity, prolonged sitting, and long-duration cycling may also increase the risk of developing the disease.

In response, Gong Kan advised against excessive consumption of high-calorie, high-fat foods and provided a scientific explanation for the popular claim that “tomatoes prevent cancer”: “Lycopene is absorbed by the human body only in a lipid-soluble environment; therefore, eating raw tomatoes has limited efficacy. It is more beneficial to cook them with oil, such as in stir-fried tomatoes with eggs.” Furthermore, research has confirmed that punicalagin, found in pomegranate juice, is beneficial to prostate health.

Significant progress has also been made in the treatment of prostate cancer. Gong Kan stated, “For patients with early-stage disease, surgery remains one of the preferred treatment options. Endocrine therapy, as a critical component of prostate cancer management, is utilized throughout the entire course of the disease. For patients with metastatic disease who are not surgical candidates, the emergence of novel endocrine therapies has improved survival outcomes.” In the therapeutic assessment of advanced prostate cancer, a rapid and profound decline in PSA levels serves as an indicator of improved survival; specifically, a rapid reduction in PSA to 0.2 ng/mL suggests a potentially more favorable prognosis.

The Outline of the “Healthy China 2030” Plan explicitly sets a target to increase the five-year survival rate for cancer patients in China by 15% by 2030. Pharmaceutical companies are also actively engaging in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer, and today, there are more novel therapeutic agents available for its management.

Ke Saifan, Vice President of Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine China and Head of the Oncology Business Unit, pointed out that thanks to breakthroughs in innovative therapies, survival rates for patients with advanced prostate cancer continue to rise, and their quality of life has significantly improved. Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine is committed to delivering transformative treatment solutions. By continuously expanding its product pipeline, actively exploring combination therapies, optimizing drug delivery methods, and researching new targets, the company constantly pushes boundaries and opens up new therapeutic pathways for patients.

Ke Saifan further emphasized that Janssen Innovative Medicine will integrate multi-dimensional public welfare resources in the future, collaborating with multidisciplinary experts—including clinical healthcare professionals, dietitians, and rehabilitation therapists—to jointly establish a platform for prostate cancer education. This initiative aims to provide patients with a support system covering the entire diagnosis and treatment journey, thereby better helping them understand and pursue the important therapeutic goal of achieving rapid and deep PSA reduction, effectively controlling disease progression and significantly improving quality of life.

Looking ahead, the prospects for prostate cancer prevention and control are promising, driven by increasing attention from the government and society, heightened individual health awareness, and continuous advancements in medical technology. By implementing strategies centered on early screening, early diagnosis, and early treatment, and combining innovative therapeutic approaches with comprehensive patient support systems, the survival rates of prostate cancer patients in China are expected to gradually improve.