But that has changed.

Money raised from the 24-Hour Fight Against Cancer walk and run has been used to fund an ultrasound machine that detects prostate cancer at Campbelltown Hospital. About $40,000 was spent on the equipment.

Now, urologists Lawrence Hayden, Nestor Lalak and Kayvan Haghighi can perform biopsies locally.

This month's 24-Hour Fight Against Cancer will raise money for the Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centre and its pediatric ambulatory care unit, and Camden Hospital's palliative care unit.

The walk and run will be held at Campbelltown Stadium, Leumeah, from 10am on Saturday, October 17, to 10am on Sunday, October 18.

Teams are urged to enter.

``The committee of the 24-Hour Fight Against Cancer work tirelessly to help patients, who have all types of cancer,'' Dr Hayden said.

``They are an independent charity working efficiently to provide services in this area.''

Dr Hayden said the new ultrasound machine had an attachment, which allowed them to see the size of a prostate.

``We are able to see if the patient is at risk of prostate cancer, which is initially primarily based on abnormal blood test results,'' he said.

``Without this machine, we can't do biopsies.''

Before the machine arrived at Campbelltown Hospital, Dr Hayden said it was difficult to determine if a man was at risk of prostate cancer.

``It [the ultrasound machine] has also helped in detecting rectum cancer,'' he said.

``We used to have to send patients elsewhere some would go to the radiology department but we had to carefully select these patients and send the rest of them somewhere else.

``This equipment was absolutely necessary, especially because prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men.''

Details, donations, team registrations: 24hrfight.org.au or call Rebecca Purcell on 0439702501.