How should I prepare for prostate cancer screening?
This cancer screening does not require any special preparation. In some cases, however, it may be advisable to avoid cycling or frequent sexual intercourse in the days before an examination to prevent irritation of the prostate. This could possibly falsify the results of the examination. If anything is unclear, ask your doctor before the screening appointment.
When should prostate cancer screening be repeated?
The preventive medical checkup should be performed annually from the age of 45. If there is a well-founded suspicion of a disease or if a disease has been detected, more frequent examinations may be necessary. In addition, it is always advisable to repeat the preventive examination if acute symptoms occur.
Which doctor performs prostate cancer screening?
Prostate cancer screening is usually performed by a urologist. However, some family doctors also offer this examination as part of other preventive measures. Whether it is a urologist or a general practitioner, the important thing is that the latter has the necessary experience to detect cancer if necessary.
Does prostate cancer screening also include the determination of PSA levels?
The PSA value should not necessarily be determined at every screening test. This examination is often not covered by health insurance companies and must be paid for by the patient. If there is no suspicion of cancer and if the value was previously low, this value does not have to be checked annually.
Therefore, when a new determination is useful depends strongly on the last result of the PSA value.The higher the value, the more often it should be checked. For example, if the PSA value is less than 1ng/ml, it is sufficient to repeat the determination in four years. General information on the PSA value can be found here: PSA value
Who bears the costs of the examination?
The costs of prostate cancer screening are covered by health insurance companies once a year from the age of 45. However, the determination of the PSA value often has to be paid for by the patient. If you would like more detailed information, you should obtain more detailed information directly from the respective health insurance company.