By JONATHON HOWARD
A GROUP of Queensland’s leading urologists met in Noosa recently to discuss prostate cancer treatment following shock statistics that prostate cancer deaths have doubled since 1998. About 3700 men are now being diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in Queensland alone.
It is now estimated that around 120,000 Australian men are now living with the disease with numbers expected to rise dramatically in coming years.
As part of an ongoing commitment by the medical community to improvements in treatment and care, last weekend saw the convergence in Noosa of many of Queensland’s leading urologists for the 2014 Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) Northern meeting.The meeting spanned three days and explored approaches to treatment and disease management in both prostate and kidney cancer.
Leading urologist and Associate Professor Eric Chung, from Princess Alexandra Hospital and University of Queensland said ensuring optimal approaches to treatment across Queensland’s health sector was imperative.
“The meeting will investigate new advances in surgical options for prostate cancer patients as well as exploring the long-term outcomes of brachytherapy, new medicines and predictive tumour behaviour in patients,” he said.
“With the burden of prostate cancer weighing heavily on the community, it’s crucial that the medical community is fully versed in contemporary approaches to treatment and continues to embrace advancements.”
