Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in 123 countries — including most of Africa and South America — yet the clinical trials driving treatment advances are almost entirely concentrated in wealthy nations. A new study published in JCO Global Oncology analyzed 1,413 interventional prostate cancer trials conducted between 2019 and 2024 and found that a country's economic status, not its cancer incidence or mortality, is what determines whether patients get access to cutting-edge research.

The findings are striking: 80.4% of trials were conducted solely in high-income countries, while none of the 25 low-income countries in the analysis hosted a single trial. Meanwhile, countries like the U.S., UK, and France each had 50 to hundreds of unique trials. "It really paints a picture of how wide these disparities are," said lead researcher Dr. Vitor A. de Góes of City of Hope.

By the Numbers:

• 1.55 million prostate cancer cases diagnosed globally in 2024
• 80.4% of trials conducted exclusively in high-income countries
• 0 out of 25 low-income countries hosted any clinical trial
• Only 6 of 77 low- or lower-middle-income countries had any trial presence
• Gross national income was significantly associated with trial availability (OR = 3.3 per unit increase)

Why it matters: Clinical trials aren't just research — they're a pathway to novel treatments. When patients in low-income countries are systematically excluded from trials, they're also excluded from the therapies those trials produce. Researchers are calling for more equitable global research partnerships and a closer look at trial distribution within countries, not just across them.