Prostate cancer a greater risk to Aussies than other men - study

Australian men have a higher chance of dying from prostate cancer than Americans and Canadians, a new study shows.

Published in the World Journal of Urology, the study examined prostate cancer trends in Australia, England, Canada and the US between 1994 and 2010.

It found mortality rates were highest in Australia and England in 2010.

It also shows there has been a 25 per cent decline in the death rate for Australian men since the mid-1990s, compared with a 50 per cent decline in the US.

The authors did not provide reasons for the difference in mortality rates.

"While the good news from this study is that we are saving 25 per cent more lives, it also demonstrates more needs to be done to close the gap," says Professor Mark Frydenberg, from the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Australia.

Prostate cancer survivor, Phil Burge, says he believes keeping fit helped his recovery from the disease.

"My father died from prostate cancer, so I knew all too well the effects of the disease and I made sure I went for regular PSA [prostate specific antigen] tests," says the 67-year-old from Sydney, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2009.

"Following a biopsy I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and operated on in 2010."

Fortunately, Mr Burge's treatment went well.

"I've always been fit and healthy, still cycle, exercise and eat healthily, and I believe this really helped with my recovery."

David Smith, from Cancer Council NSW, said if Australia had the same success as the US, 11,000 prostate cancer deaths could have been avoided over 17 years.

"It's not entirely clear why we are doing poorly," says Associate Professor Smith.

"It's probably related to differences in treatment, especially for those with high-risk disease.

"The difference that's emerging between Australia and the US is really quite stark, something is systematically different between the way in which we are managing the care of men with prostate cancer."

The next step is to further understand what is occurring in the management of men with prostate cancer in Australia, says Assoc Prof Smith.

"The call to men in general is to ensure they're comfortable with the kind of treatment they're receiving, that they seek second opinions if they're not comfortable."

- AAP