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Posted on Apr 22, 2008, 8 p.m.
By Jeanelle Topping
The number of deaths from prostate cancer in the Austrian state of Tyrol has been dramatically cut after a new screening program was introduced, a new study has revealed.
The number of deaths from prostate cancer in the Austrian state of Tyrol has been dramatically cut after a new screening program was introduced, a new study has revealed.
According to the research, published in the BJU International journal, an early detection and treatment program utilised in the region helped reduce fatalities by 54 per cent.
Professor Georg Bartsch, lead author of the study, revealed that introduction of the free screenings helped encourage more men to undergo tests.
"What was interesting about this study was that so many men came forward for testing after the programme was widely advertised in the print and broadcast media," he said.
Commenting on the success of the screenings, Prof Bartsch added: "Our findings suggest that the combination of free prostate specific antigen testing and free treatment for any resulting prostate cancer can lead to significant reductions in death rates. This free treatment normally involved surgical removal of the prostate."
Since the programme began in 1988, almost 87 per cent of men eligible for the screening have been tested at least once.
