Diagnosing prostate cancer - what GPs need to know.

Mark Frydenberg, Sanjiva Wijesinha

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The symptoms and signs of prostate cancer usually manifest after it is too late to cure the condition. General practitioners are ideally suited to diagnose this disease early and need to know the latest information about how best to identify and advise patients. OBJECTIVE: This article describes the latest information about the natural history and detection of one of the commonest cancers in Australian men. DISCUSSION: Prostate cancer rarely causes symptoms in the early stage and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are more likely to be due to benign prostate disease rather than cancer. Identifying asymptomatic prostate cancer requires both prostate specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination as about one-fifth of men with prostate cancer have a normal PSA. Although on currently available evidence population screening cannot be recommended, case detection in men deemed to be at risk of prostate cancer is widely practised. Informed patient participation in this process is vital.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)345 - 347
Number of pages3
JournalAustralian Family Physician
Volume36
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 2007

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