OBJECTIVE: To compare the psychosocial status and functional limitations in prostate cancer patients with patients diagnosed with other types of cancer in a national sample of US adults. METHODS: This study compared perceived health status, mental health status, and physical limitations among prostate cancer patients with patients of other cancers using the 1998 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Men over 18 years reported to have only one type of cancer (ICD-9-CM=140 to 239) were included in the analysis. Men with colorectal cancer or lung cancer and women with breast cancer were selected for further comparison in the health and mental health status categories. All analyses used patient-specific sampling weights provided by MEPS and were adjusted for age and number of co-morbid conditions. RESULTS: Approximately 750,000 men were identified with prostate cancer and an additional 4.6 million male patients were identified with one other type of cancer. Fewer prostate cancer patients reported having 'excellent' or 'very good' health (51%) compared to patients with other oncology diagnoses (66%). Individuals with prostate cancer reported poorer health status than patients with all other types of cancer (2.9 vs. 2.6, respectively) and poorer mental health (2.3 vs. 2.1, respectively). Specifically, compared to men with colorectal cancer, patients with prostate cancer reported poorer health and mental health status. Prostate cancer patients also have an increased odds of requiring assistance with ADL and IADL (1.22 and 1.26, respectively) than patients with all other types of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a prolonged life expectancy, we found that prostate cancer has a greater impact on patients' perception of health than other types of cancer. Prostate cancer patients also reported more limitations in functional ability compared to other types of cancer combined. These findings indicate that in addition to identifying treatments that improve important clinical parameters, an emphasis should be placed on improving other health attributes important to prostate cancer patients (e.g., quality of life, satisfaction with treatment).