Urgent need for prostate cancer screening amongst Dutch men

(Press-News.org) Arnhem, 15 September 2010 – A recent TNS NIPO survey, on behalf of the Dutch Association of Urology (NVU) and the European Association of Urology (EAU), showed that almost four out of 10 Dutch men of 50 years and older suffer, or have suffered, from urinary complaints. The same number of men also said in the same survey they are worried that they may have prostate cancer.

The TNS NIPO survey also indicated that a significantly larger number of men that suffer, or have suffered, from urinary complaints expressed the concern of having prostate cancer as compared to men without urinary complaints. Hundreds of thousands of men suffer from prostate complaints, however, many of them often do not seek medical help because they see them as a normal part of growing older or because their complaints do not hamper them in daily life.

Of note was the survey finding that practically all men who have participated in the Dutch study said that they would prefer to have an annual check or screening for prostate cancer. The widely used screening called the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, however, is not known to the vast majority of survey participants. The conclusion is that reliable information is urgently needed.

The study results will be released today, 15 September, during the annual official European prostate awareness day, part of the ongoing Urology Week activities. The Dutch and European associations for urologists (NVU and EAU) are collaborating to inform people about the prostate and the most common prostate-related diseases that affect many men.

INFORMATION: A public information campaign will be held in downtown Amsterdam. At the Dam square right on the central shopping district, a walk-through, giant model of a prostate is displayed to acquaint the general public of the prostate and its ailments. Urologists will be available to answer questions from the public.

About prostate awareness day / Urology Week

Urology Week is an initiative of the EAU. It is a public awareness week, held annually in September, to inform people, especially men over 50, about urological diseases, their treatments and the work of the urologist. September 15 is dedicated to inform the public about prostate conditions. Numerous activities are being organised all over Europe such as public information meetings and events.

Prostate conditions have a negative impact on men's quality of life. If a man's prostate increases in size, part of his urethra may be compressed, which leads to urinary problems. Prostate conditions are often underestimated, ignored and wrongly perceived as part of the ageing process. Urologists and healthcare professionals, however, stress the importance of timely medical attention to various prostate conditions, their risks and treatments.

About TNS NIPO survey: 'Knowledge about the prostate'

The urological associations NVU and EAU have commissioned TNS NIPO to conduct a survey into the knowledge of Dutch men about the prostate and prostate conditions. This survey sheds light on the attitude, knowledge and behaviour of men 50 years of age and older regarding prostate complaints. The survey results will be published on the occasion of Prostate Day.

For more information:
Dr. Paul Kil, urologist
On behalf of the Dutch Association of Urology, NVU
NVU/EAU international prostate week
06-22669628
www.allesoverurologie.nl

Lindy Brouwer, Communication Officer
On behalf of the European Association of Urology (EAU)
06 14041000
www.urologyweek.org

TNS NIPO survey: 'Knowledge about the prostate'

Method: CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interviewing)
Target group: Men of 50 years and older
Period: 11-18 August 2010

Summary

Almost 4 out of ten men aged 50 years and older suffers, or has suffered, from urinary complaints. Men who have never suffered from urinary complaints practically all say that they would visit their GP if they did. However in fact not everybody does; only a little over twothirds of men who suffer – or have suffered – from urinary complaints visit their GP. Men who do not, indicate that urinary complaints are part of growing older and that their complaints do not hamper them in daily life.

The majority of men of 50 years and older know where to locate the prostate on a visual.

Almost twothirds of men of 50 years and older has never heard of the PSA value. The group of men who has heard of it think it is used to prevent or indicate (prostate) cancer or determine the condition of the prostate or prostate problems.

According to men of 50 and older, prostate enlargement and prostate problems primarily cause urinary complaints. Most of the men know that the prostate enlarges when they are growing older.

Some of the precautions men take to keep their prostate healthy are: urinating while sitting down and paying attention to their diet. Men who suffer, or have suffered, from urinary problems indicate more frequently that they take precautionary measures to keep their prostate healthy compared to men who have never suffered from urinary problems.

Four out of 10 men regularly think about getting prostate cancer. This goes for more than half of the men who suffer, or have suffered, from prostate cancer. Almost all men of 50 years and older feel it is important have an annual prostate cancer check.