How have I been identified?

If you have recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer, by law, your hospital must send a notification of your diagnosis to the Cancer Registry of Tasmania.

If your hospital and clinician are contributing data to the PCOR-TAS, you will receive a Patient Information and Consent Form, along with a letter of invitation to participate, after your diagnosis. This form explains the study to you in detail and includes instructions on how to opt-out of the PCOR-TAS.

What is involved if I do not opt-out?

If you do not opt-out, you have provided consent for your relevant personal and clinical information to be collected and made available to the PCOR-ANZ. Your details will be collected by a registry staff member and entered into the Tasmanian registry, which will be transferred to the PCOR-ANZ database.

We will ask you for your consent again, during a telephone interview at 12 and 24 months after treatment. The interviewer will confirm your treatment details and ask for your responses to a quality of life questionnaire.

What information is collected?

Information collected from hospital medical records will include:

  • Patient demographics
  • PSA levels
  • Biopsy results (eg. Tumour staging)
  • Clinical information regarding treatment
  • Treatment outcomes (complications, mortality)

Information collected from participants will include:

  • 12-month follow up quality of life questionnaire (available via telephone interview or mailout copy)
  • 24 month follow up quality of life questionnaire (available via telephone interview or mailout copy)

How is my medical information stored?

The PCOR-ANZ database is housed within a secure environment within Monash University. Your identifying details will never be released.

What if I don't want to consent?

Participation in the study is voluntary and you may choose to opt-out at any time, without incurring any out-of-pocket expenses, or affecting the level of treatment or care provided to you. If you would like to opt-out of the PCOR-ANZ, please call the free-call number: 1800 771 410.