The risk of developing the disease increases by up to 11 times if a first- or second-degree relative has also had prostate cancer or breast cancer. Photo / Getty Images
The risk of developing the disease increases by up to 11 times if a first- or second-degree relative has also had prostate cancer or breast cancer. Photo / Getty Images
THE FACTS
Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand urges conversations about prostate cancer and highlights the lack of a national screening programme.
Prostate cancer risk increases significantly with family history, yet early detection through prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests is crucial.
Men over 50 should have annual PSA tests, starting at 40 if there’s a family history.
For the past 13 years, Danny Bedingfield has found talking about his father’s death incredibly difficult – but he knows a simple screening programme could have helped save his father’s life.
September should be more than just the start of spring. It should be the month we finallyhave those uncomfortable conversations we’ve been avoiding – the ones that could literally save lives.
Thirteen years ago, my father died of advanced prostate cancer after a five-year battle – and just nine months later, at 37, I too was diagnosed with the same disease. Prostate cancer is a family issue. Not only does a diagnosis impact the whole whānau, but the risk of developing it increases by up to 11 times if a first- or second-degree relative has also had prostate cancer or breast cancer.
This September, instead of waiting for the “right moment” that never comes, why not make it the month you ask the men in your life: when was the last time you went to the doctor? And if they’re over 50, have they had a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test recently? An uncomfortable conversation now could be the difference between life and death.
In New Zealand, despite more than 700 men dying from this terrible disease every year, we have no national screening programme. While breast, cervical and bowel cancer screening has become routine for many of us, our national response to prostate cancer is woefully lacking.
Our dads, brothers, grandads, uncles and friends need to take control over their own health – because no one wins a prize for never visiting the doctor.
Prostate cancer may be the second-most common cause of cancer deaths among men in Aotearoa, but if it is caught early, it is highly treatable. Unfortunately, it’s often silent in its early stages. Too often, men delay seeking medical advice until symptoms become unmistakable and the disease has already progressed to a more advanced, harder-to-treat stage.
Every man over 50 should be speaking to their GP and asking for a PSA test – five years earlier if there’s family history of the disease – and then going back every year for an annual PSA test. Regular testing should start at 40 if there’s a known BRCA2 mutation.
If you’re not sure how to approach the subject – and let’s face it, not many of us are well-equipped for awkward conversations about health – my advice is that a straightforward, facts-based approach works best. Be armed with key information on the importance of early detection. Lead with the fact that the first line of defence is just a simple blood test. You’d be surprised how much easier it makes the conversation!
Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand president Danny Bedingfield.
You could also offer to help by booking the appointment – and pester power isn’t just for kids; make it a regular topic of conversation. We need to tackle prostate cancer together by helping the men in our lives arm themselves with knowledge about their health that could help keep them alive. And if you don’t know your family history – ask. It could also save your life.
September gives us 30 days to start these conversations. Thirty opportunities to check in with fathers, brothers, partners and friends. Thirty chances to turn an awkward moment into a life-saving action.
Prostate cancer doesn’t always announce itself. Encouraging men to have an annual PSA test isn’t an overreaction – it’s responsible healthcare. It could be the key to ensuring many more future celebrations with the people we love.
Make this September count. Start the conversation today.
Danny Bedingfield is the president of Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand.
