Evidence of cancer progression as the cause of death in men with prostate cancer in Sweden

To assess the strength of the evidence indicative of prostate cancer (PCa) progression as the adjudicated cause of death, according to age at death and PCa risk category. Neither evidence nor moderate evidence for PCa progression was more common in men above 85 years at death than those below 85 years (29% vs. 14%). Weak evidence for PCa progression as the cause of death was more common in older men with PCa and those with low‐risk PCa. This has implications for interpreting mortality statistics, especially when assessing screening and early treatment of PCa. The beneficial effect of earlier diagnosis could be masked by erroneous adjudication of PCa as the cause of death in older men, particularly those with localized disease at diagnosis.