Prostate cancer centre gets 300 calls a month

Almost 300 men raise concerns about prostate cancer every month.

New figures show 5,830 men made contact with the Prostate Cancer Information Service since its launch in April 2006.

A further 685 men – and their partners - attended six public meetings in Dublin, Cork, Donegal and Galway.

Under the banner of Action Prostate Cancer, the service is run by the Irish Cancer Society and staffed by specialist nurses who will answer all enquiries by telephone, email or at the society’s Dublin office.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in Irish men, after skin cancer.

There are approximately 1,370 new cases of the disease every year, resulting in 519 deaths.

That accounts for 15% of cancers and 13% of all cancer deaths in males.

The majority of men diagnosed with prostate cancer are over 50 years old.

“Raising awareness of prostate cancer and encouraging men to look after their health is one of the key aims of the Action Prostate Cancer initiative,” said John McCormack, Chief Executive of the Irish Cancer Society.

“With a range of attention-grabbing advertising on TV, radio and print, the response has been significant and we look forward to building on that in 2008.”

Typical calls from undiagnosed men relate to a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test which can point to the presence of prostate cancer, waiting times for tests and investigations and questions on prostate cancer.

Typical calls from diagnosed men relate to treatment options, especially the merits of hormone treatment and/or quality of life issues related to the consequences of treatment.

Action Prostate Cancer has also developed three fact sheets on Erectile Dysfunction, Urinary Incontinence and Hormone Therapy which have been reviewed and approved by the Irish Society of Urology and will shortly be distributed through clinics and hospitals.