A PSA Test for the early detection of prostate cancer the funds do not pay. A new report shows that this should also remain so. Because the Test is in many cases useless. Worse still, A misinterpretation leads to massive health damage.
According to the German cancer society, prostate cancer is 25 percent, which is the most common cancer in men in Germany. It occurs only in older age from approximately 70 years of age – before the age of 50. The age of the disease is extremely rare.
Annually, about 57 become ill 000 men in Germany. Depending on how aggressive the cancer is a prostate carcinoma is not necessarily to the death. Due to the relatively high age of the Patients, five of six patients die not of cancer but of other causes. 2017 there were, for example, of 14,000 men.
Use of the PSA Test no longer controversial
Since, according to the cancer information service (Deutsches krebsforschungszentrum, dkfz.) no typical warning signs for prostate cancer exist, know a lot of men, nothing of their disease. The so-called PSA Test to detect the disease at an early stage. But exactly this is the case of physicians already no longer disputed and is not paid by the funds. Just a Sampling of the prostate from the age of 45 years once in a year is taken.
To discuss whether the Test should in future be covered by the Statutory health insurance funds recorded, carried out by the Institute for quality and efficiency in health care (IQWiG) now a study on the effectiveness of this test and found out that it brings no Benefit, and often even negative effect on health.
Read:
- Risk factors to detect it on time: three signs you should have your prostate immediately investigate
- Tips from practitioners: the simple way to ensure that your prostate stays healthy
- Health system in review: A prostate Patient after cancer SURGERY: “Had to learn the Pipimachen new”
PSA increase may also be due to other causes
The blood test measures the concentration of the protein PSA (prostate specific Antigen) in the blood. Values from zero to a maximum of four nanograms per Milliliter of blood are considered normal. Four nano grams of the values are valid, especially in younger men as needy of control.
The Problem of this blood test: A rise in PSA is not always associated with prostate cancer and can have innocuous causes. It can be due to an inflammation of the prostate gland or the bladder.
Since the prostate responds to the pressure, it also does not exclude that, for example, activities such as Cycling, but also Sex can lead to an increase in the PSA value. That’s why, for example, the blood test should take place immediately after a palpation examination of the prostate.
PSA Screening leads to misinterpretation
As the IQWiG in its result, use the Screening, while some men actually have cancer, in which it delayed the disease by appropriate treatment, and metastasis prevented. But this group is with three out of 1000 patients within a period of twelve years is relatively small. The Rate of total mortality due to the disease for a change but because of PSA Screening, nothing. The proportion of participants in whom the PSA Test shows elevated values, but no prostate cancer is confirmed, is between 22 and 26 percent. Catastrophic for a medical Test.
Some men is created by the PSA Test and the resulting treatments and diagnostic procedures a physical damage: “The prostate cancer screening by PSA Test is damaging to the überdiagnostizierten men (men with a prostate cancer that needs no treatment), as well as the men with a false-positive Screening results (men without prostate cancer).” In many cases, this screening will occur in damage at an early stage, and there were a lifetime.
Incontinence, impotence, and other consequential damages
This is because, due to misinterpretation, often unnecessary procedures are performed, which lead to consequential damage such as incontinence and impotence, which restrict the quality of life of Affected extremely. A determine whether, in fact, a prostate carcinoma is present, is in any case only a biopsy of tissue from the prostate is removed. This may need to be done several times, and also holds certain risks, such as bleeding and infections.
Therefore, the conclusion of the IQWiG study is: “The prostate cancer screening by PSA Test harms significantly more men due to over-diagnosis than it uses. Therefore, in summary, found that the Benefits of prostate cancer screening using the PSA Test outweigh the harm.“
Power Porridge: The Breakfast recipe for the health kick in the Morning
Appetite Power Porridge: The Breakfast recipe for the health kick in the Morning