Movember Australia

Some information from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia:

Prostate Cancer Statistics



What is the chance for a diagnosis of prostate cancer:

For a man in his 40s - 1 in 1000
For a man in his 50s - 12 in 1000
For a man in his 60s - 45 in 1000
For a man in his 70s - 80 in 1000

•Each year in Australia, close to 3,300 men die of prostate cancer - equal to the number of women who die from breast cancer annually. Around 20,000 new cases are diagnosed in Australia every year.


•Each day about 32 men learn news that they have prostate cancer - tragically one man every three hours will lose his battle against this insidious disease


•One in 9 men in Australia will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime


•Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men and is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in men


•As many men die from prostate cancer as women die from breast cancer but... a national survey by PCFA in 2002 showed that while 78% of women felt well informed about breast cancer – only 52% of men felt informed about prostate cancer


•The chance of developing prostate cancer increases:


•as men get older.


•if there is a family history of prostate cancer eg a man with a father or brother diagnosed with prostate cancer


•Early, curable prostate cancer may not have symptoms. While younger men are less likely to be diagnosed with it, they are more likely to die prematurely from it


•Simple testing by a GP can indicate prostate cancer


•Early detection can be achieved with PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test or DRE (Digital Rectal Examination) testing. Our research in 2002 shows that only 10% of men surveyed between the ages of 50 and 70 had taken these tests in the previous year.


•Some groups are at greater risk of prostate cancer


•... for example, for every 100 men who dies of prostate cancer in a metropolitan area of Australia (such as Melbourne or Sydney) 121 men will die in rural Australia. Various factors may include lack of awareness and education about prostate cancer, distance from testing and treatment, poor GP awareness and limited access to specialists (such as urologists)


•The Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia states that veterans have a 53% higher mortality rate from prostate cancer than the average population


•A recently published international study showed that firefighters have a 28% higher risk of prostate cancer.

So, if you can a chance to either participate in "Movember", or, to support a "Movember" participant with sponsordhip, go for it!