English abstract
Objectives: Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The number of deaths and
years of life lost (YLL) due to a disease can be used to monitor health status, assess healthcare needs and determine
the prioritisation and allocation of health resources within a population; in addition, the latter calculation can
serve as a baseline indicator of premature mortality. This study aimed to measure prostate cancer-related mortality
and YLL in Yazd Province, Iran. Methods: This study included all prostate cancer-related deaths in Yazd Province
reported between March 2001 and March 2010. Mortality data were obtained from a provincial death registration
system which integrates data from different sources. YLL was calculated based on an individual's age at death and
their life expectancy according to age group. Results: During the study period, prostate cancer was the fourth most
common fatal cancer among men, resulting in 324 deaths or 10.0% of all cancer-related deaths. The crude mortality
rate per 100,000 individuals increased from 4.7 in 2001 to 8.8 in 2010. Premature deaths caused 1,358.7 YLL and
the YLL caused by prostate cancer deaths more than doubled from 94.7 in 2001 to 196.5 in 2010. Conclusion: Due
to changes in population structure, it is likely that the burden of prostate cancer will continue to increase in Yazd
Province. As such, it is necessary that the national health system implements screening programmes and improves
public awareness of prostate cancer-associated risk factors.
