Abbott slammed over cancer advice

September 1, 2006

September 01, 2006

A GOVERNMENT minister who survived a battle with prostate cancer has

attacked Health Minister Tony Abbott for saying men without symptoms

did not need to get tested for the disease.

" The sad fact is that prostate cancer is an insidious disease, which in

its early stages often does not have symptoms, " Roads Minister Jim

Lloyd said.

Earlier today, Mr Abbott said men without the symptoms of prostate

cancer need not worry about being tested.

" If you haven't got the symptoms, you probably don't need to get

tested, " he said on Channel 9.

But Mr Lloyd disagreed.

" My good friend and ministerial colleague is simply wrong when he stated

on national television that if you haven't got the symptoms of prostate

cancer you didn't need to get tested, " he said.

" I know in my own case I was 48-years-old and had no symptoms when I was

diagnosed with prostate cancer.

" I can't stress enough to men across Australia, particularly those over

50 years of age, to visit your doctor and check for prostate cancer. "

Mr Lloyd said he would be giving Mr Abbott " a good ear-bashing " .

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