Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among Australians after non-melanoma skin cancer, with more than 17,000 new cases projected to be diagnosed in 2018. And it is the second most common cause of cancer death among Australian men, after lung cancer.

Tests aimed at helping diagnose prostate cancer are available. However, there is no national screening program in place, with current evidence showing that the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is not suitable for population screening as the harms outweigh the benefits. Whether or not to be tested for prostate cancer is a matter of individual choice.

The prostate cancer chapter of our National Cancer Prevention Policy contains evidence-based information on prostate cancer screening, and outlines Cancer Council Australia's policy priorities for improving outcomes from early detection of prostate cancer.