Why we funded it
A major unanswered question in prostate cancer research is
whether more intensive approaches to prostate cancer diagnosis and
treatment actually improve men's health overall. This is
because many prostate cancers are slow-growing forms that would not
have caused a man any symptoms during his natural lifetime, but we
cannot yet distinguish between these and aggressive tumours that
require urgent treatment.
This project will compare the cases of men living on the island
of Ireland who receive a different approach to screening and
treatment based ont he geographical area they live in. This will
help provide some vital answers as to which approach has the best
outcome for men.
Scientific title
Living with and beyond Prostate Cancer: Does more investigation
result in better health? A study of the impact on men of increased
and variable investigation and treatment of prostate cancer in the
island of Ireland.
Research project summary
This project will exploit a unique data set from the cancer
registries of two geographical areas - Northern Ireland (NI) and
the Republic of Ireland (ROI) - where men are investigated and
treated differently for prostate cancer. PSA and biopsy rates
are higher in the ROI resulting in prostate cancer diagnosis rates
that are 34% higher than NI. Men in ROI are more likely to
receive radiotherapy or surgery and less likely to receive hormone
therapy than men in NI. This study will look at the effect
these differences have on the long term outcomes and quality of
life of men who are investigated for prostate cancer in these two
countries.
The researchers will first look at the effect of prostate biopsy
on overall wellbeing, both for men who are and men who are not
diagnosed with prostate cancer as a result. They will also
measure emotional wellbeing and physical side effects in men who
were treated for prostate cancer 1, 5 and 10 years ago. This
project will provide important information about the wider and
long-term consequences of prostate cancer investigation and
treatment. It will also highlight men's long term needs for
supportive care services and add to the debate about prostate
cancer screening.