Prostate cancer screening

Taking advantage of International Men’s Health Week, the National Association of Cancer of the Prostate (ANCAP), the Spanish Genitourinary Oncology Group (SOGUG) and Novartis launched a survey aimed at patients with prostate cancer. This initiative, part of the Protagonista project, aims to increase knowledge about the impact of this pathology on people suffering from it.

First of all, he seeks to better understand physical, psycho-emotional and social impact what impact the disease has on patients’ lives, as well as on the experience of treatment and care received. Thus, those responsible for the project want to highlight the unmet needs for the provision of quality multidisciplinary care.

Specifically, the survey is aimed at patients diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer who are not currently participating in clinical trials. Will be open until next September 3, 2024and is available at the following link.

Context in Spain

In 2023, 33,769 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in Spain, making it the most common cancer among men in the country. prostate cancer represents the third leading cause of cancer death in men, after lung and colon cancer. Despite the widespread use of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing in the blood, which allows diagnosis of most cases in the initial stages, approximately 10% of patients have distant metastases at diagnosis, and 20% develop metastases throughout its evolution.

Prostate cancer treatment has changed significantly in recent years. Today, there is a wide arsenal of therapeutic strategies that increase patient survival while increasing the complexity of the global approach to the disease. Except androgen suppressive therapyNew hormonal treatments, chemotherapy, radiopharmaceuticals and targeted therapy have been introduced, improving the quality of life of patients.

“Early identification and access to innovations are essential to improve the length and quality of life of patients. Thanks to initiatives such as this study, we can identify key areas where additional support and intervention are needed,” explains to Aransas González del Alba Bahamonde, medical oncologist at the Puerta de Hierro University Hospital in Madrid and president of SOGUG.

• If you have prostate cancer and want take part in this initiative, you can access the survey through this link. The collected data will remain anonymous and will be used as supporting material in scientific publications, providing valuable information to the medical community and patients.