There is a 21 percent higher prostate cancer mortality rate in men of remote and regional Australia as compared to the men in capital cities.

The LNP Member for Coloundra in his parliament speech shared this serious information with the North Queensland Register saying that it is an important fact that must reach to the men in rural and remote Queensland.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Australia not including melanoma skin cancers, based the findings of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Among men, it is considered the second highest cause of cancer fatalities. Latest data in 2010 proves that almost 20,000 Australian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 3,300 men will die in this year from a direct cause of prostate cancer.

In Queensland, the most common cancer diagnosis in men is prostate cancer and that it is the second highest cause of death in men. From 2000 to 2006 there was a 5.3 percent increase in the rates of new cases per year, which could be due to increase in testing.

It was also pleasing to note that the death rates have actually reduced by 2.1 percent from the same period of2000 to 2006.

It is recommended that men aged 50 years or over to have a check-up with their doctors. Men who have a family history of prostate cancer should see the doctor as early as at the age of 40.

By the age of 85, a man will have a 1 in 5 risk of developing the cancer, while a man white a 'first-degree relative'- a father or a brother who has prostate cancer will carry twice the risk of developing the cancer.

An advice to all men in this country, especially in the rural and remote Australia is to be acutely aware of their health and have regular health check-ups in order to fight prostate cancer.

Australia Medicine Cancer