Regional prostate cancer patients to benefit as Qscan Mackay launch new service
11/08/2023
Qscan Group are proud to have launched a new service which will enhance healthcare accessibility and improve outcomes for regional cancer patients.
Patients being treated for prostate cancer at Qscan Mackay are the first in Queensland and one of the most remote communities worldwide to be offered diagnostic imaging with Illuccix, the first and only PSMA-PET-CT agent to be registered by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration for the diagnosis of prostate cancer.
In an Australian first, staff at Qscan Mackay will be able to produce the innovative nuclear medicine imaging agent on-site, eliminating the need to transport radiopharmaceuticals by plane, and allowing the clinic to prepare and administer Illucix when patients need it.
Illucix can help radiologists find even the smallest traces of prostate cancer, providing a greater level of detection and reliability, with the ability to find the cancer cells anywhere it may have spread to in the body.
Qscan in Mackay is currently the only imaging centre in Queensland to offer advanced prostate scanning with Illuccix.
Qscan Radiologist and Theranostics Specialist Dr Dalveer Singh said the service brings new opportunities to the region and provides better health services for men with prostate cancer.
“Research has found that one in six Australian men lack access to PSMA PET-CT scanning simply because they live in a rural area – Qscan is very proud to be breaking down this barrier here in Queensland.
“We believe that every Australian deserves world class healthcare and appreciate the intricate challenges to make this a reality.”
Qscan Mackay operate the only PET scanner between Bundaberg and Townsville and this new service is expected to benefit hundreds of local patients over the next 12 months.
Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia (PCFA) CEO Anne Savage labelled this service a game changer for men suffering prostate cancer.
Around 40 per cent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Queensland live in regional areas, and only around one in five Queensland men detect the cancer at Stage 1.
The access to Illucix for PSMA PET-CT imaging will help provide potentially life-saving care for hundreds of men in Mackay and surrounding regions, while addressing an unmet need for the service in regional Queensland.
PSMA PET-CT is offered at all Qscan clinics with PET-CT services.
Qscan Group is proud to offer high-quality oncological services for our patients, with 13 PET-CT locations across Australia. Find a clinic near you here.