Prostate cancer is a condition that has vexed millions upon millions of men all over the world for the past years. It is the most common cancer in the United States after skin cancer, according to Cancer.org, and in fact, more than 2 million men in the US alone can be considered as prostate cancer survivors. In Australia, it is the most common cancer.
One of the bigger problems concerning this type of cancer is that it could be hard to keep tabs on those who are battling it. Due to the large number of men who have prostate cancer, there are a number of cases that unfortunately do not get much attention and treatment. ABC News reports that doctors are now planning to make a registry of prostate cancer patients in order to keep a closer eye on them.
According to radiation oncologist Dr. David Pryor, the men who undergo treatment for prostate cancer are "often left with adverse side effects" and these impede their ability to lead a normal life. "Have they got any ongoing anxiety or depression from the diagnosis, so their mental wellbeing, their sexual function and their interaction with partners, their bladder function, their bowel function, all those sorts of things," says Pryor.
Dr. Pryor believes that this registry could provide valuable information that could help doctors, current patients, and future patients alike. To begin, the registry will cover the countries of Australia and New Zealand. The men who are included in this registry will be contacted 12 months after undergoing treatment for prostate cancer to check on their wellbeing.
Russell Flack, a man diagnosed with prostate cancer, says that he is happy to have his case be included in the registry as it "focuses on [their] own mortality." Flack has undergone radiation treatment and has described himself as feeling very fit.
