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Access to Care for Prostate Cancer Patients. A Patient`s Perspective. Some Myths. Only a few old men are affected No - It affects 190,000 men and kills 75,000 in Europe per year.
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Access to Care for Prostate Cancer Patients A Patient`s Perspective
Some Myths • Only a few old men are affected No - It affects 190,000 men and kills 75,000 in Europe per year. • It is not a social problem Yes it is - 80% of the men in their 80s have Prostate Cancer, the detected incidents are increasing due to PSA-Tests • It is only an old men`s disease No - Prostate Cancer has been known to affect men even in the 30 - 40 age group, the death rate is higher among younger men still productive in the economy • There are only Surgery, Radiation or Wait and See available No - Increasing evidence for hormonal therapy supports a new role in treatment of Prostate Cancer or Active Surveillance • Prostate cancer needs to be cured No - you can live and die with prostate cancer, not from it • Urologists have a clear perception what to do No - No real consensus on diagnosis and treatment - until now…..
THE PALETTE OF TREATMENTS HAS MANY COLOURS DRUGS CHEMO PHYSICAL AGENTS HORMONES HIFU CRYO RADIATION W.W. EBRXT BRACHY SURGERY LAPAROSCOPIC OPEN
The Doctor‘s Consultation • I can offer you three options, like a manu in a restaurant : • Radical prostatectomy • Radiation Therapy. • Watchful Waiting You have to decide Consequences: Anxiety and Insecurity
Doctors ! Experimental Therapies Print Media Audio Visual Media Complementary Therapies Congresses Alternative Therapies PCa Support Goups PC-SPES Savior Psycho Market Internet
The Patient in the middle of a field of tensions and stressdue to too many and overwhelming information sources
How Men Use Tools The one who has, very often can see only nails. The one who has will… The one who has a linear accelerator wants to ...
In the middle of an emergency situation the patient becomes a customer, the target of high efficient salesmen! He realises that there are information und communication problems and that there is an asymmetric communication with those whom he turned to for help. The only way out is he has is to become an empowered patient
Reality in Europe PCa is a European Health Problem and a Social Disgrace - Low public awareness- Low government priority - Difference outcomes rich vs poor. - Gap between knowledge and real care - Effective Medication (Hormone Treatment and/or Chemo) not available in all countries - Potentially curable, but certainly treatable if diagnosed early enough. - Early detection (PSA-Test) strongly criticised - Gap between prevention/treatment. Partially from OCA, 2003
I had a dream The Expedition into the Future of Urology
Interdisciplinary Network • The Crew: Patient – Urologist –Oncologist -Radiation Specialist - General Practicioner - …… M.D Clinics, Universities Health Ins. Patient Industry Cancer Societiest Research Politics
We, the Patients call on you, the Politicians Each patient should have the right • to receive an interdisciplinary consultation in a centre of competence • to have the chance to receive his individually preferenced primary therapy • to receive the best therapy without a dependency of his personal budget • to be taken care of on a humanitarian basis, not by medical sales men