International men's health organisation calls for a new global prostate cancer initiative
A new policy report from the Global Action on Men’s Health calls for a coordinated global response to tackle prostate cancer — highlighting key areas for action and why a focused initiative is now more necessary than ever.
For International Men’s Health Week this year, the Global Action on Men’s Health (GAMH) is urging the World Health Organisation (WHO) to introduce a Global Prostate Cancer Initiative, one that will cover every stage of the prostate cancer journey – from prevention to palliative care. With cases of prostate cancer expected to double by 2040, it is now more important than ever to act on this initiative.
In Prostate Cancer: Time for a New Global Initiative. A Policy Report, GAMH explains that prostate cancer is now the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men in 112 countries and the leading cause of cancer death among men in 48 countries. There will be almost three million new cases of prostate cancer a year by 2040 and the mortality rate will rise by 85%.
Prostate cancer is currently inadequately addressed in global and national cancer policies. GAMH believes that every effort must be made to reverse this trend. The lack of education around prostate cancer has far-reaching consequences in general, including:
- Prostate cancer is too often diagnosed too late,
- Too many men are ill-informed about the disease,
- Not enough is known about how it can be prevented,
- Many men cannot access the services they need, and men at greater risk of prostate cancer (including Black men and men with a family history of the disease) are not well-served.
The new Global Prostate Cancer Initiative proposes to focus on 10 key action points where awareness can be highlighted. These include:
- National governments should be urged to introduce prostate cancer policies (or national cancer plans which specifically address prostate cancer) with clear KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
- Education programmes and awareness campaigns are required to tackle the need for more accurate information and the stigma that many men feel about prostate health.
- Early diagnosis is essential. As many countries as possible should begin to plan the introduction of organised national screening programmes.
- There must be a focus on men at highest risk of poor prostate cancer outcomes, particularly Black men, men with a family history of the disease, and men with a low socio-economic status.
- Men with prostate cancer need quick and free (or at least affordable) access to all effective treatment options, and to be under the care of multi-disciplinary teams that can also provide appropriate psychosocial support.
- Investments in research, infrastructure, workforce development and treatments are required, especially in lower-income countries where prostate cancer mortality rates are currently disproportionately high.
National prostate cancer screening programmes must play a central role in tackling prostate cancer, now the most common cancer in men in 112 countries and the leading cause of cancer death in 48 countries. Unlike many other cancers, it cannot be prevented and in its early stages, the disease has no symptoms that could enable early detection. And, if it is detected at an advanced stage, the 5-year survival rate can be as low as 30%. PSA testing combined with MRI scanning and risk assessment reduces the risk of overdiagnosis and can reduce deaths by 35%. The identification of low (and some intermediate) risk cancers allows safe monitoring, known as Active Surveillance, that minimises overtreatment.
GAMH’s Director Peter Baker, one of the report’s co-authors, states:
“Globally, men’s health is unnecessarily poor, with men living on average five years fewer than women. Health systems, especially in middle and lower income countries, will also struggle to cope if the amount of prostate cancer cases increases. That’s why Global Action on Men’s Health is calling for a new and comprehensive Global Prostate Cancer Initiative, led by WHO, to get ahead of the curve.”
Derek M Griffith, Risa Lavizzo-Mourey Population Health and Health Equity University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, GAMH Chair, and one of the report’s co-authors, adds: “It’s essential that action is taken to reach the communities of men at greatest risk of poor prostate cancer outcomes, including Black men, men with a family history of prostate cancer, men with low incomes, and men who live in rural areas or in the Global South. These inequities must be addressed as a priority.”
The publication of Prostate Cancer: Time for a New Global Initiative. A Policy Report marks the start of an advocacy campaign by GAMH to tackle this major issue in men’s and public health.