Australian Government - Department of Health and Ageing

Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC)

Application 1029

Brachytherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer

Application No.

1029

Application NameBrachytherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer
Advisory PanelDr Michael Kitchener
(Chair and MSAC member)
Dr Ross Cartmill
(Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Urological Society of Australasia nominee)
Mr Clive Deverall
(Consumers' Health Forum of Australia nominee)
Dr Graeme Dickie
(Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists nominee)
Associate Professor Gillian Duchesne
(Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists nominee)
Dr Alastair Tulloch
(Urological Society of Australasia nominee)
Date Received by MSAC Secretariat1 November 1999
Stage 1 - EligibilityEligible
Stage 2 - AssessmentCompleted
Stage 3 - Formulation of Advice to the MinisterThis assessment was considered by the MSAC at the 15 November 2000 meeting.

The MSAC recommends that on the strength of evidence pertaining to brachytherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer, interim public funding should be supported for patients with prostate cancer meeting the following criteria:

- at clinical stages T1, T2a or T2b, with Gleason Scores of less than or equal to 6, PSA of less than or equal to 10ng/ml, gland volume less than 40cc and with a life expectancy of more than 10 years; and

- where the treatment is conducted at approved sites

This recommendation is to be reviewed no later than three years from the date of this report.
Stage 4 - DecisionEndorsed by the Minister for Health and Ageing 9 February 2001
Stage 5 - ImplementationImplemented