One in 8 men will develop prostate cancer, with Black men and men over 65 facing a higher risk. Although most cases are not fatal, prostate cancer kills approximately 34,000 Americans every year. For the 10-20% of cases that advance to metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), the prognosis is poor, emphasizing the importance of early detection, careful monitoring, and effective disease management.
Despite the importance of ongoing research and monitoring, prostate cancer has historically been challenging to study using real-world datasets. Treatment often spans multiple specialties, including urology, oncology, and primary care, with early-stage prostate cancer often managed in urology clinics. Datasets limited to one type of practice fail to capture the complete patient journey and early-stage treatments. Additionally, prostate cancer treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or active surveillance. Many real-world datasets do not consistently capture all treatment modalities and their sequences – complicating research efforts.
