Temporal trends in diagnostic work-up, treatment, and mortality in locally advanced prostate cancer in 2016–2024: nationwide, population-based study in Sweden

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We aimed to describe temporal changes in diagnostic work-up, treatment, and prostate cancer (PCa) mortality in locally advanced PCa in 2016-2024 in Sweden. Patient/material and methods: Men registered in the National Prostate Cancer Register of Sweden in 2016-2024 with locally advanced PCa; clinical T stage 3-4, no distant metastases, and prostate-specific antigen < 100 ng/ml were included. We computed the proportion of use of prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before biopsy, radical prostatectomy, radical radiotherapy, androgen deprivation therapy, and abiraterone, and described the trend in PCa mortality across three calendar periods. RESULTS: During the 9-year study period 7,484 men with locally advanced PCa were identified. Use of MRI before biopsy increased from 3% in 2016 to 73% in 2024. Concomitantly, radical treatment increased from 35% to 48%, entirely due to increased use of radiotherapy. Abiraterone was not used before 2022 but 31% received this treatment in 2024. The 3-year PCa mortality decreased from 8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7-9) in 2016-2018 to 6% (95% CI: 4-8) in 2022-2024. INTERPRETATION: In this nationwide, population-based study of men with locally advanced PCa, the use of MRI before biopsy, radical radiotherapy, and treatment with abiraterone increased over time. These changes coincided with a modest decrease in 3-year PCa mortality.