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T D Brett

Publications and source records attributed to T D Brett.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

An analysis of digital rectal examination and serum-prostate-specific antigen in the early detection of prostate cancer in general practice.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is now the commonest cancer in men and the second commonest cause of death from cancer. However, general-practice-based research on prostate cancer remains scanty. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the acceptability of digital rectal examination (DRE) and serum-prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the early detection of prostate cancer in a general practice setting. Another aim was to ascertain the incidence of prostate cancer among 50-79-year-old men in the solo practice. METHODS: We conducted an opportunistic, prospective, population-based study involving men with no prior, proven history of prostate cancer. RESULTS: A total of 211 (87.6%) out of 241 targeted patients agreed to take part in the study. Abnormal DREs were found in 9%, while 9.5% of PSA tests were found to be abnormal. One or both tests were abnormal in 29 patients-13.7% of the study population. Eleven biopsies were performed during the study, with cancer detected in three (27.3%)-1.4% of the total population. Eighteen patients were not biopsied either on clinical grounds or by personal choice. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of abnormal DRE and PSA tests was lower than that detected in previous hospital or specialist-based studies. Both tests were found to be highly acceptable to the population studied. Not all patients with abnormal early detection tests need necessarily proceed to further invasive investigations.

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PubMed1998

Patients' attitudes to prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the knowledge of and attitudes to prostate cancer among older men in a general practice population. METHOD: All men aged 40 years and older attending a solo suburban general practice during a 12 month period were invited to take part in the study. RESULTS: A total of 353 completed questionnaires (99.4%) were obtained from a targeted population of 355. The major areas of knowledge deficiency were in prostate gland function and possible side effects of treatments used for cancer management. The vast majority were in favour of getting rid of the cancer even if this resulted in incontinence or impotence. A sizeable minority (22.4%) would prefer aggressive treatment rather than 'watchful waiting' even if their cancer was slow growing. CONCLUSION: Despite heightened public awareness about prostate cancer in recent years, significant deficiencies exist in patients' knowledge about the condition. General practitioners, as the point of first contact with the health system, have a major role to play in ensuring their prostate cancer patients are well informed about the nature of the condition and the treatment options available.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

General practice screening for prostate cancer. A prospective study.

With an ageing male population it is likely that Australia will see a substantial increase in the incidence of cancer of the prostate over the next few decades. Early detection is critical if curative treatment is to be achieved but, as yet, there is no widely agreed protocol on prostate cancer screening. This study examines a particular approach in general practice and discusses its acceptance at a primary care level.

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