Call to assess prostate cancer treatments

Health experts today demanded a thorough assessment of treatment for prostate cancer sufferers as a study showed one in 14 men in Ireland will be diagnosed with the disease during their lives.

The Irish Cancer Society warned it was seriously concerned about the quality of care and revealed it had identified significant variations and inconsistencies across the country.

The charity called on the Government to commission a report on the organisation of hospitals and specialists caring for men with prostate cancer and the types of treatment offered.

Professor John Armstrong, consultant radiation oncologist at St Luke’s Hospital, said experts ought to know where the shortfalls in services were appearing.

“It is vital that we have a clear nationwide picture of what prostate cancer treatments are on offer in what hospitals and whether age is a contributing factor in terms of what treatment is offered,” he said.

“Only then can we plan for the development of optimum prostate cancer treatment services.”

Professor Armstrong, chairman of the Irish Cancer Society, added: “The most urgent issue at the moment is that all men are assessed on diagnosis of prostate cancer by a urologist and all treatment options are presented and explained so that men can weigh up the advantages and disadvantages and make an informed choice.

“We currently have 34 urologists in the country but, in addition to treating prostate cancer, we need to be mindful of the fact that they also treat all other genito-urinary conditions.”

The Irish Cancer Society said the study of services should give recommendations on the delivery of optimal levels of treatment.

The charity said it should be similar to the blueprint for the development of services for symptomatic breast disease by St Vincent’s Hospital surgeon Professor Niall O’Higgins in 2000.

Around 160 delegates at a conference on cancer in Dublin heard there are around 1370 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in Ireland every year.

The Irish Cancer Society, which has decided to adopt prostate cancer as a key area of focus during 2006, revealed the majority of men diagnosed with the disease, are over 50 years of age with the highest percentage in the 65 to 69-year-old age group.

There are, on average, 519 deaths from the disease a year representing 7% of all cancer deaths.

The society said that when a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, he should be assessed initially by a consultant urologist in a specialist centre at a major hospital where he will have access to best practice by a truly multi-disciplinary team.

Delegates at the conference also heard presentations on how quality of life can be adversely affected following treatment for prostate cancer.

Surgery can cause impotence and incontinence. Radiotherapy may bring on short term fatigue, urinary problems and impotence, while hormone therapy can cause hot flushes and loss of sexual drive.

Sonya Bowen, prostate cancer information nurse at the Irish Cancer Society, said all of these potential side effects need to be explained and put in context.

“However, the man also needs to be assured that even if he does experience side-effects there are successful treatments – both medical and non-medical,” she said.