Media release from Waikato DHB

The Ministry of Health and the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC), through the HRC's Partnership Programme, have co-invested in three new cancer research projects over the next three years.

The projects will build knowledge of the incidence and impact of three particular cancers in New Zealand, and how health professionals from primary care through to specialists work together delivering treatment.

The projects are:

    Bowel Cancer - An internal examination of colorectal cancer management in New Zealand
    Palliative care - Culturally appropriate end of life care for Māori
    Prostate Cancer - The costs and complications of screening for prostate cancer

The University of Auckland in partnership with the Midland Cancer Network began a three year research project earlier this year, exploring the costs and complications of screening for prostate cancer and, once men are diagnosed, the pathways of care for prostate cancer treatment.    

Prof Ross Lawrenson

Prostate cancer is the most commonly registered cancer for New Zealand men.

Principal Investigator and Head of the University of Auckland's Waikato Clinical School, Professor Ross Lawrenson, says the research team will study the pathways of care following an abnormal PSA test - the screening test for prostate cancer.

'We are looking at what goes on in screening for prostate cancer in general practice and the pathways of care for men who are diagnosed, and will conduct in-depth interviews with 100 men who have had treatment for prostate cancer, including a significant proportion of Māori.'

Professor Lawrenson says treatment options for prostate cancer in New Zealand vary, and are often based on patient choice. 'There isn't much information about the wider complications of prostate cancer, including the social and psychological impacts.

'We know a lot of PSA tests are being done, but we don't know what GPs do with the results, so we don't know which patients are being referred to a specialist or what the specialist does once they've had a patient referred with a raised PSA test.'

He says researchers will be looking at which patients take up different treatments and the complication rates, either from their cancer or their treatment.

It's not known what proportion of men are having a prostatectomy (the surgical removal of all or part of the prostate gland), or are being biopsied, or aren't having any treatment.

'Many will receive active surveillance because prostate cancer is very slow growing in most patients, and many men won't have any complications from it. However, many will have substantial complications from the treatment of this cancer.

'We'll also look at whether there are any variations in treatment, such as whether living in a major centre with good access to services means you get a different sort of care than a rural patient who may not have the same information about the various options available at their finger tips.'

Professor Lawrenson says the financial cost associated with diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer - both for the health service and the patient - and who pays is not well understood, and this will also be looked at later in the study.

'It's not just the cost of the test, but the full potential follow-up cost of the chosen treatment pathway that can be incurred by doing the test.'

The project is already underway and Professor Lawrenson says the research team has had very good buy-in from local PHOs and GP practices that are keen to be part of the study, which he says is very much a partnership between the University of Auckland and the Midland Cancer Network.

'It's the first big research project for the Midland Cancer Network and the team is thrilled to have been awarded the grant.

'It has provided a real boost to the Network, and is a wonderful opportunity to involve general practitioners in a study of the cancer pathway.


'It has also allowed us to engage with Māori providers across the region and provided an opportunity for local Māori staff and researchers to take a leadership role. I believe it is already demonstrating the value of closer relationships between GPs and specialists.'

Visit the Waikato Clinical School web page for more information.