With a staggering one in seven men being diagnosed with prostate cancer over their lifetime, The Wesley Hospital is holding a free information session to bust the myths surrounding the disease.  

Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death in Australia. More than 3300 men die from the disease each year.   

This Saturday 10 September, experts from the Wesley will be on hand to talk about the screening, diagnosis and treatment of the disease.  

Urologist Dr Boon Kua, Prostate Cancer Care Nurse Rachel Oxford, Men’s Health Physician Dr Michael Gillman, Physiotherapist Cheryl Zeelie, and Nurse Counsellor Alan Hobman will all be speaking on the day.  

Dr Kua said the latest diagnostic tool for prostate cancer, multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI), allowed doctors to have a better understanding of the size and stage of a tumour.  

“Not all cancers are lethal,” Dr Kua said.  

“The benefit of having an mpMRI is that we can better determine the stage of the cancer, and so we are able to be smarter about the way we treat non-lethal cancers.” 

“There are some side-effects of prostate cancer treatment, whether that is surgery or radiotherapy, and determining who to treat and who not treat can be essential in reducing harm to patients. 

“The aim of prostate cancer screening is to detect prostate cancer at its early treatable stage, therefore increasing the likelihood of cure.” 

The Wesley Hospital’s Prostate Cancer Support Nurse Rachel Oxford said the biggest challenge in the fight against prostate cancer was a lack of knowledge in the community of the disease and its treatment.  

“This is compounded by a high level of myth-information about prostate cancer and the fact that many men have a habit of sticking their heads in the sand about health issues until it’s too late— and those are the men we want to reach,” Ms Oxford said. 

“We need to be having open conversations about prostate cancer, because the reality is that one in seven of our fathers, sons and husbands will get this disease.” 

The Wesley Hospital is a leading provider of prostate cancer detection and treatment, with urologists, radiologists medical oncologists and radiation oncologists working together to provide evidence-based treatment on the one campus. These services are complemented by specialised nursing staff and a dedicated urology ward.  

The Wesley Hospital has the largest robotic surgery program in Australia, with over 800 procedures performed per annum. The hospital was the first private hospital in the country with two Da Vinci surgical robotic systems. 

This year, attendees at the information session will not only have the chance to listen and talk to our resident experts, they will also go into the draw to win a Weber BBQ – just for registering online.

What:                           Prostate Cancer Information Session

When:                          9am to 1pm, Saturday 10 September

Where:                         Evan and Mary Thomson Auditorium, The Wesley Hospital

Register now:               Visit our Prostate Cancer Care page to register.