Difficulty accessing doctors, cost pressures and long wait times are among the issues causing men to delay prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment, a new survey has revealed.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia found three in five Australians believe cost pressures and struggles to access care are among the struggles causing men to delay access to care.

The disease remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in WA and one of the nation’s leading causes of cancer death.

Yet just 27 per cent of cases in WA are diagnosed in stage one when the disease is easiest to treat.

About 98 per cent of those surveyed called for a national prostate cancer screening program to help test for the deadly cancer earlier.

A similar number called for more investment from the government into prostate cancer research, specialist nurses, and access to treatment.

John Williams, who was only 44 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, had to pull money from his super to pay for the life-saving procedure to remove the tumour.

“It was actually quite expensive and we needed to draw down on my superannuation,” the Perth man said.

“It is a little bit of a stressful process if you don’t have the money and I think with the cost of living now people might be concerned and consider putting off the surgery because they’re worried about the cost of it.”

Mr Williams said he was one of the lucky ones as his tumour was found early but sadly his father died from prostate cancer in 2025.

He called for a screening program so men were aware they needed to get tested.

“It’d be great if the government could consider reducing the age or encouraging doctors to let men know they should get tested,” he said.

“If there could be greater financial support for people that need to go through surgery or other treatments, it would be great because it is a silent killer this cancer.

“Timing is everything and the sooner you get tested, the better it is. It’s as simple as a blood test.”

Currently, there isn’t a national screening program for prostate cancer with routine testing instead advised by doctors for men aged over 50.

Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia national committee chair and former deputy prime minister Wayne Swan said Australians had delivered a clear message that governments must do more to reduce avoidable deaths.

“Every day, 79 Australian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and 11 lose their lives to the disease,” he said.

“Yet despite the scale of the challenge, men at risk of prostate cancer are still expected to navigate testing largely on their own.

“When almost every Australian surveyed supports a national risk-based testing program, governments should take notice.

“No Australian man should miss his chance of survival because he lives in the wrong postcode, faces long delays accessing care or cannot afford another medical appointment.”