Australia paves the way for revolutionising prostate cancer treatment
The way men are treated for prostate cancer is set to change with the launch of the world's largest national prostate cancer registry incorporating clinical data alongside patient feedback of their lived experiences.
The Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry – Australia and New Zealand (PCOR-ANZ) is housed in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (SPHPM) at Monash University. The registry gives doctors (and future patients) the most comprehensive insight into men's quality of life after they are diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer.
Launched by the Movember Foundation, thanks to funds raised by the Movember community, the registry spans across all states and territories in Australia and New Zealand, equipping clinicians with the information they need to minimise the risk of life-changing side effects and redefine what treatment success looks like.
Associate Professor Sue Evans, Head of the Clinical Registry Unit at SPHPM, said the registry will bring urologists and oncologists together to redefine what success looks like for prostate cancer treatment and life beyond the disease.
"For the first time, doctors in Australia and New Zealand will have access to patient experience results from around the country. This will equip doctors with the data they need to minimise the risk of life-changing side effects and redefine what success looks like to transform the treatment and care of prostate cancer patients," said Associate Professor Evans.
Men who have gone through treatment for prostate cancer are often left with adverse effects that seriously impact their ability to live a normal life, including incontinence, sexual and intimacy issues and psychological distress.
In Australia, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, with around 120,000 men living with the disease and this is expected to rise to 267,000 by 2017. It's estimated that 18,138 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year.
One in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of 75. For men living with prostate cancer, there are a variety of treatment options now available which vary according to the type of prostate cancer diagnosed but can include: active surveillance, hormone therapy, surgery, radiotherapy or a combination of therapies.
"Through the launch of this registry, Australia is leading the way in significantly improving how prostate cancer is treated around the world. In the future we will be able to compare clinical outcomes across the globe and, as a result, help minimise side effects of treatment," said Associate Professor Evans.
The expansion of the national registry to incorporate data from all states follows successful registries in Victoria and South Australia.
