Sydney researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital say they have developed a screening process that could detect coronary plaque before symptoms appear. The process uses blood samples and CT scans from more than 5,000 heart disease patients, and identifies five biomarkers. The team is seeking $8 million to speed up clinical trials and put screening kits into the hands of GPs across the country. Indigenous adults experience heart attacks at almost three times the rate of non-Indigenous adults, and people in regional and remote areas stand to benefit most.
Researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital and the University of Sydney are developing a world-first screening method to detect coronary artery disease before symptoms appear. The approach combines blood tests for biomarkers with CT imaging. More than 5000 people have taken part so far. Sydney mother Jennifer Tucker found she had a severe blockage in a coronary artery after collapsing while pushing a pram. Researchers want to expand the program into rural and remote areas, where heart attack rates are higher and preventative care is harder to access.
A Wagga Wagga prostate cancer awareness event was held at Bunnings amid concern that a federal funding change could reduce specialist nursing support. Local specialist nurse Anne-Maree Bramich is among 131 prostate cancer nurses nationally facing uncertainty as funding moves to an all-cancer nursing model from July 2027. The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia argues specialist knowledge and long-standing patient relationships could be lost. Support group members urged men to discuss testing with their doctors without waiting for symptoms.
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Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service is managing an outbreak of the contagious streptococcal A bacterial skin infection in the Injinoo community. The disease, which can lead to chronic kidney disease, has been eliminated in most of the country. Four cases of acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) were detected in the Northern Peninsula Area. Screening will focus on children aged between 12 months and 16, who are most at risk. The health service advises prompt first aid for minor injuries, proper hygiene, and regular washing or swimming to prevent skin infections and APSGN kidney complications.
More than half of women on the Central Coast are overdue for breast cancer screening, according to recent Health Department figures. The figures show 51.4 per cent of eligible women are overdue.
Comedian Shaun Micallef will attend a free community screening of his documentary Going for Broke at the Sun Theatre in Yarraville on Thursday 29 October. The evening includes selected clips, a panel discussion and a question and answer session. Hosted by Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay councils and IPC Health, the event runs from 6pm to 8pm and explores gambling harm through lived experience, research and community voices. A qualified counsellor will be on site, and bookings are essential.
Cancer Council WA is urging people to get to know their bodies during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Regional prevention co-ordinator Lavinya Vasudevan said most breast changes are not cancer, but any unusual change should be checked. Symptoms include changes in size, shape or feel, a lump or hard area, nipple changes, and pain on one side. People unsure about a symptom are advised to see a doctor, clinic nurse or Aboriginal health worker, especially if it lasts four weeks or more. In 2022, 2090 women in WA were diagnosed with breast cancer and 291 died.
A new universal testosterone screening program in the military may flag a large share of Army members. Researchers estimate about 26 percent of active-duty soldiers would show results suggesting low testosterone, using the Pentagon's cutoff of 300 ng/dL. A lower CDC threshold would give an estimate of about 15 percent. Experts generally caution against universal screening, because testosterone levels vary with age, time of day, weight, illness and sleep. Low results also rose with age and body weight. Clinically significant low testosterone is rare, affecting at most 1 percent of men.
Canberra women should not rely on self-checks alone, according to BreastScreen ACT manager Jodie Kirkness. She says many cancers found on mammograms are too small to feel. BreastScreen ACT offers free screening mammograms to eligible women aged 40 and over, with women aged 50 to 74 encouraged to attend every two years. Anyone with a new lump, skin dimpling or nipple changes should see their GP rather than wait for a routine screening. Men can also develop breast cancer and should seek advice for unusual lumps or changes.
Sydney father Trent Gallucci says he felt empty and sad after his son was born in June 2021. Psychologist Danya McStein says perinatal depression and anxiety are relatively common in fathers, though less so than in mothers. Deakin University's Jacqui Macdonald says large studies find about one in 10 fathers affected, and that men often express distress as anger or risk-taking. Both experts encourage fathers to speak with a doctor, complete online screening and connect with support groups. Gallucci says he eventually called a mental health service and found counselling helpful.
Pope Leo will have surgery in the coming days to remove a lung nodule found during a routine check-up. The 71-year-old said the growth was well contained and caught early. Lung nodules are small growths in the lungs, usually no more than 3 centimetres across, and are often found by chest X-ray or CT scan. Most are harmless, with about 95 per cent being non-cancerous. Doctors weigh factors such as size, shape, location and patient history to decide whether removal is needed.
Australians search for breast cancer information more often each October, according to Google Trends data covering the past five years. The highest point came in October 2024. Searches for signs and symptoms, diagnosis and stages of the disease have grown strongly. Google Trends measures relative interest, not the number of searches. Screening participation through BreastScreen Australia was 51.6 per cent of women aged 50 to 74 in 2024–25, a preliminary figure that is below the level seen before the pandemic.
