Epidemiology and Treatment Patterns of Urologic Cancers in Korea

Koo, Kyo Chul; Chung, Byung Ha

Abstract

Prostate, kidney, and bladder cancers are the three most prevalent urologic cancers in the Korean population. Throughout the last decade, there has been an upsurge in the incidence and prevalence of prostate and kidney cancers, along with a marked improvement in survival. A stage migration has been observed towards early detection of localized cancers, and accordingly, the landscape of urologic cancer treatment in Korea has been characterized by an exponential increase in the number of patients receiving surgery with curative intent. Herein, a substantial proportion of surgeries were performed using minimally-invasive methods, especially robot-assisted surgery. Current management strategies of urologic cancers in Korea are mostly based on evidences provided by international guidelines. There is prompt adoption and clinical application of novel systemic agents for advanced stage cancer, and surgical and oncological outcomes are comparable to those of Western reports. Multidisciplinary treatment options are available for various cancers at different stages. At the same time, treatment decisions are influenced by the availability of health-care resources, which is regulated by the National Health Insurance policy guidelines. Accumulating information on characteristics of urologic cancers in Korean patients demonstrates that Korean patients harbor more aggressive prostate cancer features compared to Western men. Due to the racial disparity in features of certain cancers, the optimal management strategy specific for the Korean population is yet to be validated. A comprehensive national cancer database may help to identify risk factors, select sequential strategies, and to assess survival outcome of Korean urologic cancer patients.