WATCH: A cancer vaccine made by Moderna has been given ‘breakthrough therapy’ status by health chiefs, paving the way for fast-tracked approval.
There are fears Australia’s health system isn’t equipped to cope with an alarming rise in prostate cancer diagnoses, with new research predicting at least 80 men a day will be diagnosed by the end of the decade.
Brisbane man Rob Smith was 54 when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer five years ago.
He remembers sitting in his office on a Friday afternoon and getting a call to say he needed to immediately see his doctor.
“He said mate you’ve got two options, you either have a radical prostatectomy or, there’s no way to sugarcoat it, you’re going to die,” Mr Smith told ACM.
“My world fell apart. I had two young teenage boys at the time and they were on my mind the whole time – how do I tell them that their father is potentially dying?”
His message to men is simple.
“We need men to get off their ass and get tested,” he said.
“It’s as simple as a blood test to begin with. But men are too scared to go to the doctor and certainly have this phobia of talking about down below.”
Having the major surgery to remove his prostate means he is here to tell the tale, but it has been life-altering.
Ahead of Men’s Health Week this June the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia is calling for more resources to support the growing number of men with the disease.
“Right now there are nearly 250,000 Australian men living with or beyond their diagnosis,” PCFA chief executive Anne Savage said.
“Many of whom struggle to access services for the debilitating side-effects of their treatment such as incontinence and sexual dysfunction.”
New data shows the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer has jumped 571 per cent since records began in 1982.
It has significantly outpaced the 73 per cent growth in the nation’s male population.
Research is the way forward
PCFA has launched an appeal for prostate cancer research with the aim of raising $500,000 to help beat the disease.
Mr Smith is general manager at Tyrepower which alongside Tabcorp and Hire A Hubby are matching every donation made.
Already the average five-year survival rate has improved from 58 per cent in 1982 to 95.5 per cent in 2023.
But the high prevalence means more than 3500 men still die from prostate cancer every year.
PCFA head of research Professor Jeff Dunn said the improved survival rate demonstrated the impact of previous investments in research.
“However as the population ages we are facing a significant risk that the health system will struggle to cope with the number of men being diagnosed,” he said.
“Research is the solution that holds the greatest promise and we want to see Australia leading this work.”
Men’s Health Week runs from June 12 to 18. For information about the PCFA campaign visit www.pcfa.org.au
