This year’s meeting was held virtually from 8-12th July and in this weeks’ instalment we will highlight three major focus areas presented at the meeting:

• Novel treatment approaches for de novo Metastatic Castrate Sensitive Prostate Cancer (mCSPC)
• Future replacement of MRI by PSMA-PET/CT Scan for prostate cancer diagnosis
• New androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) options.......

Kerry Santoro, Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse (Southern Adelaide Local Health Network) says that around 200 prostate cancer patients are diagnosed within her local health network each year, and that generally they remain in contact for a period of three years, meaning that at any one time Kerry is managing up to 600 patients on a rolling basis, consulting with .......

Dr Nathalie Bock and her team from the Queensland University of Technology have developed and validated a highly reproducible microtissue-engineered human construct in the lab that comprises osteocytic and osteoblastic cells (the cells responsible for the breakdown and formation of bone), with relevant protein expression and mineral content. The mature mineralized engineered tissue are cultured for up to 12 weeks. They then add metastatic prostate cancer cells to the mineralized microtissue. This model reproduces some of the cellular alterations seen ......

In observing NAIDOC Week, (4-11th July 2021), it seems fitting as a point of departure to acknowledge the impediments Indigenous Australians may encounter in engaging with treatment and receiving optimal health care in general (and cancer care in particular). Some of these factors include: difficulties communicating with health professionals; a lack of patient navigators; lower health literacy; lack of access to support from an Indigenous care provider; logistical barriers; and inadequate linkages with .........

The Effects of Exercise on Depression in Men with Prostate Cancer Undergoing Androgen deprivation th...

There is limited research examining the impact of exercise on psychological distress in men with prostate cancer. Galvão et al¹, from the Exercise Medicine Research Institute at the Edith Cowan University in Perth, focused on this particular issue, with specific reference to men with prostate cancer undergoing ADT.

We would like to introduce Kalli Spencer to everyone! Kalli will be writing weekly updates on the latest in prostate cancer research and treatments, so you’ll be hearing from him regularly.

Kalli is an internationally renowned Urological Surgeon, specialising in oncology and robotic surgery. He trained and worked in South Africa, before relocating to Australia where he has worked at Macquarie University Hospital and Westmead Hospital. His passion for what he does extends beyond the operating room, through public health advocacy, education and community awareness of men’s health, cancer and sexuality. 

Kalli has been involved with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia for many years, advocating for improved cancer care and facilitating community prostate cancer support groups. Kalli has joined the team and is now helping to deliver evidence-based research blogs for PCFA on a regular basis. PCFA's Research Blog is regularly updated with articles, written in simple language, about recent and topical research in prostate cancer.

We look forward to bringing you more regular news updates soon!

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has just released the latest figures on prostate cancer incidence, mortality, and survival in Australia.

The trends over time are different to the trends we see for many other types of cancer, including a decreasing number of diagnoses since 2009, when cases peaked in Australia. In that year, 22,146 cases were diagnosed, compared to 16,741 cases expected to be diagnosed this year. With an ageing and increasing population, we might ordinarily expect to see the number of men diagnosed increase, but this has not been the case.  

On the 25th of May PCFA hosted its third annual Community Conversations. This year we partnered with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, a world-leading cancer treatment centre and research institute, who hosted the day in Melbourne, Victoria. Community Conversations, facilitated by MC Julie McCrossin, brought together prostate cancer patients and their families with leading scientists, clinicians and health professionals. The forum promotes a conversation about prostate cancer between all these people, so that we can learn from each other.