the statement that tony blair made is pretty strong.  "Prostate cancer
is now the most common cancer diagnosed in men in the UK, and at least
one man every hour dies from the disease"

~ curtis

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Prostate cancer charity wants better information for patients

About one in four men in the United Kingdom with prostate cancer are
dissatisfied with their care, a survey of more than 1000 men with the
disease shows.

The Prostate Cancer Charity's survey of 1143 men who had the disease
diagnosed in the last three years showed that more than a third did not
have access to a specialist nurse to discuss their diagnosis and 43%
were not given any written information about the disease or its
treatments and side effects. Nearly a quarter of men who said they were
alone when their diagnosis was broken to them wished they had had
someone with them.
The charity believes that men should be better informed about the
disease, including treatment options.

The respondents said they found all types of information useful, but
they ranked information on monitoring the disease, on warning signs when
cancer gets worse, and on treatment choices as well as general
information on prostate cancer as more important.

Many men had initially presented to their GP with some kind of urinary
symptom, and many had undergone their first prostate specific antigen
test at that time.
But 40% of the men had "not enough" or "no" information about the test
when it was first carried out. Only 36% said their GP fully discussed
the test and gave them written information about it. This was despite
the NHS's introduction of the prostate cancer risk management programme
in 2002, which aimed at ensuring that men concerned about the risk of
prostate cancer get clear information on the test and on treatments for
prostate cancer.

Twenty per cent of the men did not think it was clear which treatment
choice was best for them, and 15% did not think they had made informed
choices.

"This is not a good result," said the charity, "but we do not have to
await a body of evidence to change that situation." It said,
"Information and communication would go a long way to reduce this
total."
Some of the men also felt they had not been given a full explanation of
the side effects of treatment. Nearly half (47%) of men with continence
problems and 56% with difficulties with erection said they felt
inadequately supported by health professionals.

"Not all side effects from treatment can be resolved, but it is
important that health professionals ensure that all men are supported to
live with them as best they can. This is an area of patient support that
can clearly be improved," the report says.

Several political leaders have supported the charity's campaign to
improve information. "Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer
diagnosed in men in the UK, and at least one man every hour dies from
the disease—it is a priority for us to tackle," said the prime
minister, Tony Blair.  

The Real Man's Prostate Cancer Journey: The First National Survey is
available at www.prostate-cancer.org.uk.
    

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional    
"Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is
invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so."
http://community.webtv.net/PALMER_ENT/doc