The aim of the study was to assess trends in mortality and years of life lost due to prostate cancer (PCa) in Poland in 2000-2015. The crude death rates (CDR), standardised death rates (SDR), standard expected years of life lost per living person (SEYLLp) and per death (SEYLLd) values were calculated. Joinpoint models were used to analyse time trends. In the study period, 61,928 men died of PCa. The values of mortality rates in 2000 (per 100,000) were: CDR = 16.97, SDR = 16.17, SEYLLp = 332.1. In 2015, the values of all rates increased: CDR = 26.22, SDR = 16.69, SEYLLp = 429.5. However, the SEYLLd value decreased from 15.62 to one man who died due to PCa in 2000 to 13.78 in 2015. The highest SEYLLp values occurred in the group of men with primary education (619.5 in 2000 and 700.7 in 2015). They were respectively 2.24 and 2.96 times higher than in men with higher education (275.7 and 237.1). SEYLLp values increased in urban areas (from 295.7 to 449.4), slightly changed in the rural areas (from 391.5 to 400.2). Unfavorable trends in mortality due to PCa in Poland require explanation of the causes and implementation of appropriate actions aimed at mortality reducing.
Keywords: Poland; epidemiology; mortality; neoplasms; prostate cancer; socioeconomic factors; trends; years of life lost.