In Australia this year, 3,500 men will die from prostate cancer.

It’s a little-known fact that more men die from prostate cancer, than women die from breast cancer, so it‘s vitally important that our medical team keeps working to find new treatment options.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in Australia, with more than 16,000 men being diagnosed each year. Prostate cancer is an age-dependent disease, which means the chance of developing it increases with age. One in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer by the age of 75. By the age of 85, this increases to one in six men.

Thankfully, long-term and continuing support for prostate cancer care and research has seen dramatic improvements in the survival and quality of life for men diagnosed with this disease, but as the figures show, there is still vital ongoing work to be done.

Among our many projects, Mater Researchers are currently working to make chemotherapy safer–they are examining which immune cells play a key role in promoting blood and bone health. This research may be significant in limiting toxicity from conventional chemotherapy-containing therapies.

Your support of Cars for Cancer plays a vital part in funding this research and could have a significant impact on patients like Doug.

In 2016, Doug’s life changed in an instant when he received a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Doug told us that receiving a cancer diagnosis was a shock to him, but he continues to receive treatment and remains optimistic for the future. He hopes to enjoy life as much as he can, for as long as he can, playing squash, living on the land, enjoying trips away and camping.

Research remains one of the strongest weapons we have in the fight against cancer, and your support of Cars for Cancer Lottery is helping to fund vital research and patient care, impacting patients like Doug. Thank you!

Please take a few minutes to talk to you your male friends and family and encourage them to visit a doctor if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms*:

In its early stages, prostate cancer may not show any symptoms. Symptoms of early prostate cancer can include:

• difficulty passing urine
• a slow, interrupted flow of urine
• frequent passing of urine, including at night
• incontinence.

Symptoms associated with advanced prostate cancer include:

• blood in urine
• pain during urination
• lower back or pelvic pain.

These symptoms are also found in men who may have Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), a common, non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.

Source: Cancer Council

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