Leading clinicians and cancer researchers will headline this weekend’s Prostate Cancer Foundation national conference in Auckland, with the theme “New Horizons in Prostate Cancer Care”.

Each year, more than 4000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 700 die from the disease. Prostate cancer is the third-highest cause of cancer death in men after lung and bowel cancers.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation is advocating for Government to take the first steps towards a comprehensive early detection programme for the disease. Significant advances in technology and improved diagnostic methods mean that previous risks have been reduced, and the latest research is clear that a comprehensive early detection programme holds the promise of halving mortality from the disease.

The conference programme includes:

• The latest science behind the role of diet and nutrition in slowing the progression of prostate cancer.
• The latest position from the urological professional body on the role of the PSA blood test and how we should be looking to deploy it in the fight against prostate cancer.
• New approaches to radiotherapy with the potential to fundamentally change the patient experience.
• The vital role that new information and data plays in improving outcomes for patients and what it can tell us about how we are performing as a nation in serving men affected by a prostate cancer diagnosis.

Speakers at the event, which is endorsed by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP), include:

• The role of diet in prostate cancer

Prof Richard Mithen | Professor of Nutrition, University of Auckland (and Director of the Liggins Institute)

• The role of MP-MRI in detection and biopsy

Dr Daniel Cornfeld | Clinical Lead, Mātai Medical Research Institute

• The Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry NZ – new findings and the way forward

Mr Stephen Mark | Clinical Lead, Centre for Health Outcome Measures NZ

• New generation imaging and treatment of advanced prostate cancer

Dr Andrew Henderson | Radiologist, Mercy Radiology

• Short course radio therapy

Dr Peter Kerstens | Radiation Oncologist, Kathleen Kilgour Centre

• USANZ guidance on PSA testing

Mr Jim Duthie | Urologist, Duthie Urological

• Toward a gold standard in GP prostate cancer care

Dr Jo Scott-Jones | Medical Director, Pinnacle Healthcare

• Treatment of advanced prostate cancer

Dr Peter Fong | Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand Auckland

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