Report on Global Roundtable Series on Prostate Cancer now available

On 4 April 2013, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), organised a global roundtable entitled "Understanding and Curing Prostate Cancer: Important Issues, Patient Knowledge, and Support for Prostate Cancer Research" that brought together a select group of government leaders, academic researchers, patient advocates, biotechnology industry leaders, UICC members and partners to address key topics in prostate cancer treatment and research. 

The event, which was attended by 22 participants and 17 observers, provided an opportunity for participants to exchange thoughts and ideas on how we can implement action items and which organisations could be recruited to work together to achieve specific implementation strategies.

At a time when cancer survival, including that of prostate cancer, is increasing, it is important to recalibrate our goals and develop a strategy that leads to the cure of prostate cancer. This strategy will evolve through focused discussions and proposals from all stakeholders into a series of prioritised action items circulated throughout the prostate cancer community for consensus.

Professor Mary Gospodarowicz, President, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) explained: "Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. The control of prostate cancer faces different problems around the world. In North America, we face issues related to over diagnosis, over treatment, difficulties in the management of hormone refractory and chemo refractory disease. The low-income countries face issues related to under diagnosis, late presentations, inadequate access to care, and paucity of treatment resources."

Dr Jeri Kim, Associate Professor, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center added that "As we are in the personalised medicine era, it’s time that we abandon a one-size-fits-all approach in prostate cancer management and it is very important that we start integrating genomics and proteomics tests into risk assessment and management of prostate cancer for each indivual patient."

For more information about the event, please read the GRS April 2013 Report, which you may download here.