Springfield Doctor backs Prostate Cancer Screening after Brisbane Father’s Early Diagnosis
A Brisbane father’s experience with prostate cancer is reinforcing calls from specialists at Mater Private Hospital Springfield for men to be proactive about their health, particularly those with a family history of the disease.
Dr Sam Davies, a urologist at Mater Public and Private Hospital Springfield, said prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Australian men, with about 29,000 new cases expected each year.
He said about 79 Australian men are diagnosed with the disease every day and around 11 die from it daily. Although prostate cancer is more common in older men, more than 450 Australians under the age of 50 are expected to receive a diagnosis this year.
Dr Davies said earlier diagnosis and improvements in treatment have led to much better outcomes, with around 91 per cent of men now expected to survive at least 10 years after diagnosis.
He encouraged men aged over 50 to speak with their doctor about regular PSA blood tests, which are largely funded through Medicare. For those with a family history of prostate cancer, discussions about screening should begin earlier, between the ages of 40 and 45, as inherited factors account for a significant proportion of prostate cancer risk.
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