shortage of prostate cancer diagnostic tool puts men at risk

the pandemic has derailed tests and treatments for prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer among canadian men, but a new technology may help hospitals scan for the disease.one in seven men in canada will develop it in their lifetime, according to the canadian cancer society; on average, 64 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every day and 11 men will die from it.“while there have been great strides in research that has improved treatment and early detection of prostate cancer, the covid-19 pandemic has brought new challenges with potentially life-threatening consequences,” says dr. stuart edmonds, executive vice-president, mission, research and advocacy at the canadian cancer society. “we have heard from people with cancer whose surgeries have been postponed, treatment plans changed, and tests delayed, who are worried about becoming collateral damage of covid-19.”one area that has seen big delays is testing. positron emission tomography (pet) scans are key in detecting prostate cancers in high-risk men or men with recurring prostate cancers. pet scans require gallium-68, a radiopharmaceutical tracer, to light up cancerous tumours.however, due to a global shortage of gallium-68, there are limits to how many pet scans can be performed, and a 12 to 18-month backlog, according to artms products inc., a b.c.-based medical equipment manufacturer. to meet demand, the company has developed a new technology that it says can help medical facilities use existing technology to manufacture the tracer themselves using a cyclotron, a particle accelerator that produces other radioactive isotopes we well.artms’ solution is technology called the quantm irradiation system, that will allow canadian hospitals to produce gallium-68, as well as other isotopes, using the cyclotrons they already have. “these are present in most large medical institutions,” says charles conroy, chief executive officer of artms. he says artms can bring in its personnel, attach its system to a hospital’s cyclotron, and produce gallium-68.conroy says that an in-house solution is needed as the pandemic has led to delivery challenges; isotopes are generally shipped via aircraft, which are currently flying much less. “this will make [gallium-68] locally,” he says of the technology.edmonds says that he hopes that healthcare facilities continue to screen and treat prostate cancer, despite the challenges covid-19 has created. “our healthcare system is dealing with a significant backlog due to the pandemic—resuming immediate testing and treatment remains crucial so that prostate cancer can be caught and treated early when chances of survival are the highest,” says edmonds.

about prostate cancer

the canadian cancer society recommends men get tested for prostate cancer if they have any of the following symptoms. it also recommends men aged 50 and older — or those who are at high risk of prostate cancer — get a prostate-specific antigen (psa) test, a blood test that can determine if a man’s psa levels are higher than they should be. a high psa level may indicate the presence of prostate cancer.some symptoms to look for include; frequent urination and urgency, especially at night, straining to urinate, incontinence, blood in urine or burning or pain during urination.“we encourage canadians to speak to their doctors about psa testing and their own prostate cancer risk,” says edmonds.if you or someone you care about is living with prostate cancer, connecting with a support network can help to not only learn ways to better manage your health, but also share experiences with others. some canadian resources include the canadian cancer society, and the prostate cancer canada network.