PCFA aligned with expert agreement on prostate cancer testing.
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) is publicly supporting the new global "Consensus Statement on Prostate Cancer Testing" launched in Melbourne in today. The statement has been launched at the Prostate Cancer World Congress to "bring clarity to the confusion that exists around PSA testing."
The statement confirms the benefits of PSA testing for men aged over 50 years and urges a separation between prostate cancer diagnosis and radical prostate cancer interventions. It also advocates the use of PSA baseline testing for men in their 40’s as a useful strategy for predicting future risk of prostate cancer.
Dr Anthony Lowe, Chief Executive Officer of PCFA, welcomed the new consensus statement as an important step in clarifying this controversial issue for Australian men.
"This international consensus statement is based on the latest scientific evidence and is consistent with the advice PCFA has been giving Australian men for many years. We have consistently urged men who are over 50 years, or 40 years with a family history, to talk to their doctor and make an informed decision about the benefits and potential harms of being tested and treated for prostate cancer as part of their annual health check. The consensus statement is clear in saying there is now strong evidence that PSA testing reduces the risk of metastatic prostate cancer and of death from prostate cancer among this group," said Dr Lowe.
PCFA is currently working in partnership with Cancer Council Australia, RACGP, epidemiologists and public health experts and other medical colleges to develop Australia's first national evidence-based clinical guidelines on PSA testing and early management of test-detected prostate cancer.
To read more details go to http://www.bjuinternational.com/bjui-blog/the-melbourne-consensus-statement-on-prostate-cancer-testing/
