Medical Informations

Medical Informative Booklets

Screening

Information about prostate cancer screening

Prostate is the most common cancer among men over 50 years and represents the second cause of death by cancer among men.
The screening tests exist but they are not perfect.
All prostate cancers which have been detected thanks to biopsy, do not necesseraly have to be treated.
The urologists can identify some tumors, which do not need agressive treatment and can only be watched.

 

The Screening Clinic of the Bordet Institute suggests a prostate cancer screening for men from 45 to 70 year old :

- an annual rectal touch
- blood annual measuring out of PSA (the frequency of later controls will be adapted according to the risk factors and according of the results of former measurings).

 

The PSA (Prostatic Specific Antigen) is specific to the prostate, not cancer : its value can grow up with the age or the presence of an infection.

If the PSA is abnormal, the urologist suggests the patient some other tests (ultra sound, free PSA, ..) and then the doctor will decide on the treatment.

 

Within the framework of the individual screening of prostate cancer, the PSA is a screening tool which has limits and defects. Nonetheless, associated with appropriate strategies of diagnostic and biopsy, it is the only available test to do an early diagnostic of aggressive cancer and thus, improving chance of cure.

   

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Checking of this page : 01/2012