New video released to inform men about prostate cancer

17/3/99
Health Minister John Day today released a new video aimed at informing men about prostate cancer.
Mr Day said prostate cancer was an important public health issue that affected many men in the community and generated a lot of public debate.
He said the video, "The choice is yours - testing for prostate cancer" examined the pros and cons of prostate screening, providing factual information so men could make informed choices about their own health.
"Recently, there has been widespread community debate on issues including universal screening, treatment options and their consequences for men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer," Mr Day said.
"It is important to remember that there is no single, simple test to detect prostate cancer and treatment for the condition can have serious side-effects.
"This means the decision to be tested for prostate cancer is not an easy one."
Mr Day said prostate cancer was becoming a more common cancer for men, particularly older men.
"With an ageing population, we know that more men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the future," he said.
"While the majority of prostate disease is benign or non-cancerous it is a fact that most men who develop prostate cancer die with it - not from it."
Mr Day said that in 1997 in WA there were 675 men diagnosed with prostate cancer and 181 deaths.
He said the new video offered insight and education, to enable men, in conjunction with their partners and their doctors, to make their own informed choice.
The video is part of the Men's Cancer Education Project - a joint initiative of the Cancer Foundation of WA, the Health Department and the Lotteries Commission - which aimed to provide up-to-date information on men's cancers to all men in our State.
Media contact: Mark Thompson 9213 6600