Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia's chief executive, Professor Jeff Dunn AO, said an "Australian first" online tool would help inform men about the benefits and harms of having a PSA test - a blood test which can detect prostate cancer before symptoms develop.

University of Sydney Emeritus Professor, Bruce Armstrong AM, said while PSA testing "probably" saved lives, the side effects of curative treatment for prostate cancer could be quite severe.

"Making a well-informed decision about PSA testing is very important," he said. "This online tool is a critical awareness device designed to raise community understanding and improve outcomes for all Australian men - it has the potential to protect men against long-term consequences of treatment, such as loss of sexual function or urinary incontinence, which some would find intolerable."

The tool can be accessed at pcfa.org.au/psatesting.

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