PROSTATE CANCER FACTS

There will be many of us who know of someone who has had Prostate Cancer, or perhaps has died as a result of the disease. Vietnam Veterans are within the age group that makes us particularly susceptible to Prostate Cancer, and I seek your assistance in publishing the following information in your newsletters and on your sub-branch email lists.

Prostate Cancer is a taboo subject for many veterans, but we must at least try to put information in front of our members-by doing so we will be providing practical welfare support to our members.

Those of us who saw the sad spectacle of Ted Whitten, stricken with Prostate Cancer, doing a final lap of the MCG a few days before his death will never forget it, and we would not want that to happen to any of our mates if we could help it.

1. Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men excluding non-melanoma skin cancers.

2. There are more Prostate Cancer deaths than breast cancer deaths in Australia.

3. In 2005 more than 2,900 Australian men tragically died from Prostate Cancer.

4. In 2006 it is estimated that 18,700 new cases of Prostate Cancer were diagnosed in Australia.

5. Australian men have a 1 in 5 risk of Prostate Cancer by the age of 85 years.

6. Regional and rural Australian men have a 21% higher mortality than men in capital cities.

7. Certain risk factors have been consistently associated with Prostate Cancer:

Age: Risk increases with age for men from 50 years onwards.

Family History: Men whose father or brother has or had Prostate Cancer are at greater risk.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

1. Speak with your GP about Prostate Cancer-this is your first step in your own health promotion. Remember:

That often there are no symptoms in the early stages of the disease.

2. Ask your GP to conduct a PSA test (a blood test) and a digital examination. A combination of a PSA test and digital examination should be included as a part of your general male health check from 50 years of age onwards or from 40 years of age if there is a family history of Prostate Cancer.

3. Talk to your partner and your mates about Prostate Cancer, encourage each other to take Prostate Cancer seriously.

MORE INFORMATION

There are 84 Prostate Cancer support groups in Australia. Information is available at www.prostate.org.au or 1800 22 00 99.

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) -an alternative treatment for Prostate Cancer- To find out about IMRT and if the treatment might be appropriate for you, talk to your GP or urologist

Information contained above from Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Australasian Association of Cancer Registries 2007, and Michael Coory and Peter Baade, Medical Journal of Australia February 2005