19 October 2010
Local MP Peter Aldous has shown his commitment to improving the lives of men and their families affected by prostate cancer.
Mr Aldous is among a growing number of politicians signing The Prostate Cancer Charity’s Pledge for Prostate Cancer, which calls for urgent improvements to reduce the inequalities that men with the disease can face.
By signing up to the Pledge, MPs have called on the Government to show a firm commitment to reduce inequities surrounding the disease in five key areas, after recent statistics revealed by the Charity show that there is still a four-fold difference in death rates for prostate cancer between local Primary Care Trust (PCT) areas in England. For example, men in Barnsley are almost four times more likely to die of prostate cancer then men living in Waltham Forest. In Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT mortality from prostate cancer is 17% above the national average.
As part of the pledge, Mr Aldous, will be calling on Andrew Lansley, the Secretary of State for Health, to ensure that men with prostate cancer get access to the full range of effective treatment options and support services to help them cope with the impact of the disease.
It also calls for all men who may be at risk of prostate cancer to have balanced information about the pros and cons of the PSA* blood test, routinely used to detect a problem with the prostate.
Peter Aldous said:
“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, but there are still many improvements which need to be made to ensure that all men affected by the disease receive access to world class services.”
Dr Sarah Cant, Head of Policy and Campaigns for The Prostate Cancer Charity, explains:
“I would like to thank Mr Aldous for signing up to our pledge. In order to tackle the inequalities in prostate cancer, we must mobilise a movement for change.”
*The PSA blood test measures the levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein that in high levels may indicate the presence of prostate cancer.
Mr Aldous is among a growing number of politicians signing The Prostate Cancer Charity’s Pledge for Prostate Cancer, which calls for urgent improvements to reduce the inequalities that men with the disease can face.
By signing up to the Pledge, MPs have called on the Government to show a firm commitment to reduce inequities surrounding the disease in five key areas, after recent statistics revealed by the Charity show that there is still a four-fold difference in death rates for prostate cancer between local Primary Care Trust (PCT) areas in England. For example, men in Barnsley are almost four times more likely to die of prostate cancer then men living in Waltham Forest. In Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT mortality from prostate cancer is 17% above the national average.
As part of the pledge, Mr Aldous, will be calling on Andrew Lansley, the Secretary of State for Health, to ensure that men with prostate cancer get access to the full range of effective treatment options and support services to help them cope with the impact of the disease.
It also calls for all men who may be at risk of prostate cancer to have balanced information about the pros and cons of the PSA* blood test, routinely used to detect a problem with the prostate.
Peter Aldous said:
“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, but there are still many improvements which need to be made to ensure that all men affected by the disease receive access to world class services.”
Dr Sarah Cant, Head of Policy and Campaigns for The Prostate Cancer Charity, explains:
“I would like to thank Mr Aldous for signing up to our pledge. In order to tackle the inequalities in prostate cancer, we must mobilise a movement for change.”
*The PSA blood test measures the levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein that in high levels may indicate the presence of prostate cancer.
