Prostate Screen Queensland - Mission Statement

Healthy men may place little value on preventive health care. One third of men have not seen a doctor in the last year. 10% have not seen one in 5 years. At Prostate Screen Queensland we know when your follow up is due and send you a friendly reminder. We remember so you don’t have to…..

Prostate Screen Queensland aims to provide well informed, streamlined and easily accessible testing for prostate cancer. This is undertaken within a framework of specially trained medical practitioners where the sole focus of the medical consultation is the early detection of prostate cancer. Our ultimate aim is that early detection will then lead to a reduction in the mortality from prostate cancer amongst Australian men.

Prostate cancer screening and testing is a complex subject and there has been confusion in our community regarding the effectiveness and benefits of prostate cancer screening. This has resulted in varied and conflicting opinions on the merits of such programs. Recent evidence from international studies has demonstrated that prostate cancer screening can result in a reduction in the mortality from prostate cancer of between 21% and 44%.

The mission of Prostate Screen Queensland is to:

educate men in our community regarding the risks and benefits of prostate cancer testing
streamline prostate cancer testing using stringent guidelines for testing, referral and subsequent follow up
make prostate cancer testing easy and accessible
collect data for epidemiological and research purposes

Prostate Screen Queensland currently does not recommend mass population-based prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening as a public health policy, but offers health conscious men the opportunity for prostate cancer testing and early diagnosis, in a specialised primary care medical framework. Appropriate informed consent is obtained from men prior to proceeding with prostate cancer testing. Prostate Screen Queensland does not wish to take over the role of the patient's general practitioner but rather work closely with them and in doing so provide an invaluable educational resource and direct avenue for rapid advice.

How do we test for Prostate Cancer?

PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) testing via a blood test in combination with a DRE (Digital Rectal Examination) currently offers the best indication for the presence of prostate cancer and are currently the only tests recommended for prostate cancer screening and early detection.

Who should be tested for Prostate Cancer?

Early detection of prostate cancer is the key to improving survival and Prostate Screen Queensland recommends the following:

All men from the age of 50 should have access to a yearly PSA and DRE
All men who have a family history of prostate cancer should have access to a yearly PSA and DRE from the age of 40
Health conscious men from the age of 40 should have access to a baseline PSA to quantify their lifetime risk of prostate cancer and guide the frequency of subsequent testing.

Prostate cancer testing with a PSA blood test and DRE is only undertaken after informed consent from highly trained medical practitioners regarding:

The controversy regarding prostate cancer screening and early detection
The pros and cons of early detection
The consequences of an abnormal screening result
The potential outcomes and treatments should prostate cancer be diagnosed

Once prostate cancer testing has been performed, the medical practitioner will then provide an estimate on the patient’s risk of having prostate cancer based on the patients PSA, DRE, age and family history.

Research and Data Collection

Prostate Screen Queensland is the first clinic of its kind in Australia, this provides a unique research opportunity regarding prostate cancer screening and early detection. Prostate Screen Queensland is committed to research and all data regarding PSA values, DRE findings and outcomes will be recorded and analysed for research purposes. The privacy of patient’s information is of utmost importance and no information will be accessed without prior consent.

Learn more about Prostate Cancer Testing

Meet our team

Jan Higgins

Jan Higgins - Clinic Manager

Jan will be your first point of contact, welcoming you to Prostate Screen Queensland.

Jan will arrange your appointment, liaise with staff and ensure all necessary information regarding your appointment, is provided to you.