Prostate Cancer : What You Should Know Before the screening test

What You Should Know Before the screening test

Special emphasis should be placed on an informed and value-free advice from a urologist before the start of PSA tests. The screening examination, including a conventional PSA testing should be performed by a qualified physician after careful information of the man on the benefits, risks and if necessary further investigations. The men concerned should be informed of the potential therapeutic procedures and the dangers of prostate cancer. In addition, information about the possible consequences of abnormal test findings (biopsy, uncertainty caused by equivocal findings), and on all newer treatment options for prostate cancer with its accompanying symptoms and complications is extremely important. A PSA screening is only useful if the information on all relevant issues competently informed man wants this and also agrees with possible follow-ups and treatment.

Any man who is undergoing a PSA test should know the following:

• An increased value does not necessarily mean cancer because other factors (eg, physical activities such as cycling) also affect the value.
• If there is an increased value, are to further investigations. This is to find out whether it makes sense to remove a tissue sample immediately or if this is not necessary. The doctor needs to check the value and determine, for example, by the removal of a tissue sample (biopsy), whether it is cancer or not.
• Once a tumor is detected, it does not automatically mean that you must be treated immediately or surgery.
• Overall, approximately 40% of men wear in the Western industrialized countries, the risk of developing prostate cancer in their lifetime, but only 10% felt ill and only 3% die of it. The doctor tried the aggressiveness of the tumor to assess - in slow-growing tumors is often the "active surveillance" (Active Surveillance) or the "observed Waiting" (Watchful Waiting) the recommended approach.
• If it is an aggressive cancer that therapy can be initiated. The PSA test is then due to that the tumor has been discovered in a state in which it can be cured. A late-discovered aggressive prostate cancer, however, is not curable.