Tassie’s 15-a-day cancer forecast sparks urgent calls for prevention and funding
A personal trainer’s chance remark led to Marc Hundleby’s ‘shock’ prostate cancer discovery, highlighting the urgent need for early checks as Tasmania faces increasing cancer rates in the next decade.
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It was a chance comment from his gym coach that eventually led to Marc Hundleby’s prostate cancer diagnosis.
He was fit, healthy and had no symptoms.
To be told he had cancer was a shock.
Mr Hundleby, 57, a consultant, had been going to the gym three times a week to do small group strength training sessions.
“At one point, I mentioned to my coach, Bill, that I was feeling unusually tired and couldn’t lift the same weights I had managed in previous weeks,” he said.
“He suggested that the drop in performance might be due to lower testosterone levels and recommended I get a blood test — so I did.
“My doctor explained that something was causing my PSA levels to rise and suggested we repeat the test in three months.
“When we did, my PSA had increased from 10.9 to 14. That prompted an MRI, which came back inconclusive, followed by a biopsy — and that’s when I was told I had stage 2 prostate cancer.
“I was shocked. I’d always considered myself fit and healthy for my age, and I hadn’t experienced any symptoms at all.”
On the advice of his urologist, Mr Hundleby opted to have his prostate removed.
“Based on my age, fitness level, and the location of the cancer within the prostate, he believed that removal was the best option in my case.
“Without surgery or any other form of treatment, my life expectancy would have been just five to ten years.”
Last year Mr Hundleby underwent a robot-assisted prostatectomy.
“The surgery itself was quick, though the recovery was painful and inconvenient for a short period.
“I took care to recover properly and waited three months before returning to the gym.”
He was fortunate the side effects were minimal.
“The potential side effects were, in many ways, the most worrisome part,” he said.
“There was the possibility of permanent erectile dysfunction and incontinence.
“However, in my case, everything returned to normal relatively quickly.”
With prostate cancer the most prevalent cancer in Tasmania he wants men to have their PSA levels checked.
“My advice is simple: just get it checked.
“Book annual appointments for a blood test and keep an eye on your PSA levels.
“If it’s caught early, there are plenty of treatment options available — but the longer you leave it, the fewer choices you have.”
Mr Hundleby says his grandmother had bowel cancer and he is cancer free and not worried about getting cancer again.
The Cancer Council, he says, was “an incredible source of support throughout my recovery”.
“I attended several support groups and art therapy programs and even received a therapeutic massage. The staff were always warm, friendly, and genuinely helpful.”
Tasmania’s cancer burden set to surge
The number of Tasmanians diagnosed with cancer is set to increase to 15 a day in the next seven years – with prostate cancer the number one diagnosis.
The Tasmanian Cancer Registry predicts the annual number of cancer diagnoses will rise from 4094 in 2022 to 5328 by 2032.
The registry was set up in 1977 and manager Dr Bruna Ragaini said the number of people with cancer had increased over time, “in large part due to Tasmania’s growing and ageing population”.
She said the Cancer Council Tasmania commissioned a report to project the overall numbers of the top five most common cancers in Tasmania: prostate, breast, colorectal, melanoma and lung.
“The report did not include projections by age groups, but we will aim to investigate this in future work,” Dr Ragaini said.
“Cancer projections are essential tools in cancer control, as they help us prepare our healthcare systems, inform research and focus efforts where they are most needed.”
Cancer Council CEO Alison Lai said the predictions were “conservative” and represented an increase in diagnoses of 30 per cent from 2022 to 2032.
She said that in 2022, the top five cancer diagnoses in Tasmania were: prostate (858), breast (442), bowel (406, melanoma (390) and lung (344)
The TCR report forecasts that by 2032 prostate cancer will increase steadily and remain the number one cancer of concern (2314), with melanoma pushing into second place (581) ahead of breast (568), bowel (549) and lung (406).
“The projected increase is based on robust statistical modelling from the TCR, and Cancer Council Tasmania attributes it to a range of factors including our ageing population, healthcare accessibility, and modifiable risk factors causing the greatest cancer burden – tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, UV radiation exposure, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity,” Ms Lai said.
“With cancer representing the highest healthcare expenditure of any disease group in Australia, and cancer costs having doubled from 2013-14, the forecasted increase in cancer diagnoses is a confronting reality that we need to respond to urgently, to ensure we can try and influence the projected increase and reduce pressure on Tasmania’s already overburdened health system.”
Ms Lai wants investment in cancer prevention, care and treatment to be an election priority and funding for the Cancer Council to be increased.
“A proactive response is going to be essential, and the prioritisation of investment into cancer prevention, early detection and screening, is going to be critical to improve cancer outcomes by ensuring Tasmanians understand how to reduce their cancer risk and increasing cancer symptom awareness to find cancer early.
“We know that almost half of our cancer burden is attributable to modifiable risk factors and that people are more likely to survive cancer if it’s found early.
“This forecast also amplifies the importance of the Tasmanian government prioritising the work completion of the 20-Year Preventive Health Strategy and the Tasmanian Cancer Plan.
“However, we must also ensure that both strategies are more than just words on a page.
“They need real funding, not just good intentions.”
Ms Lai wants the state government to allocate a minimum of 5 per cent of the health budget to preventive health, including campaigns, programs and services, particularly those targeting cancer prevention.
The predictions come as the latest data from Roy Morgan showed that 17.4 per cent of Australians aged over 18 smoke or vape,
This is largely unchanged from 17.7 per cent in 2014.
The pollster says that since 2014, the composition of smoking and vaping has changed with both vaping and illicit tobacco more widespread.
The Tasmanian Cancer Registry publishes annual incidence and mortality reports.
They are publicly available on our website https://www.utas.edu.au/menzies/research/tasmanian-cancer-registry.
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