‘Check mate’: Australians urged not to ignore prostate health warning

Most Australian men are good at checking the important things in life from the tyre pressure before a road trip to the footy tips and the BBQ gas ahead of a long weekend.

But when it comes to their own health, many still put it in the “too hard” basket.

Ahead of World Prostate Cancer Awareness Day tomorrow (June 11), ANZUP Cancer Trials Group has launched a new campaign called “Check Mate”, urging Australians to speak with their GP about prostate cancer testing and early detection.

The warning comes as prostate cancer remains Australia’s most diagnosed cancer, with about 79 Australians diagnosed every day and 11 dying from the disease daily.

Health experts say one of the concerns is that PSA testing rates have fallen sharply over the past two decades.

According to ANZUP, about 68 per cent of Australians aged 50 to 69 had at least one PSA test between 2005 and 2009. By 2014 to 2018, that number had dropped to 48 per cent.

ANZUP Chair Professor Ian Davis said attitudes towards testing had changed as prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment improved.

“For many years, concerns about overdiagnoses and overtreatment led to understandable caution around PSA testing,” he said.

“But prostate cancer care has evolved significantly.”

For prostate cancer patient Brad de Plater, a routine PSA test at age 50 proved life-changing, detecting cancer early and allowing doctors to closely monitor the disease without immediate treatment.

“Early detection gave me options. It gave me time,” he said.

ANZUP CEO Samantha Oakes said the campaign aimed to encourage Australians to understand their risk and have informed conversations with their GP.

More information is available through the campaign website: Check Mate campaign

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.