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23.11.2018 14:53:45
In young people it is the size of a chestnut, in elderly gentlemen ‒ the size of a peach. The prostate gland is located between the bladder and the pelvic floor muscles. As the man grows older, it begins causing problems, because it narrows the urethra which it encompasses. Ignoring the prostate can have fatal consequences, as the risk of cancer is high. In connection with Prostate Cancer Awareness Day annually held in Europe by the European Association of Urology since 2005, the Munich Association of Insurance Groups advises to regularly get examinations for early detection.
The term “prostate” is derived from the Greek word which means “standing at the front”. If you look at the urethra from the outside towards the bladder, the prostate gland stands as a “gatekeeper” in front of it. According to the modern S3 guideline for early detection and, therefore, diagnosis and treatment of various stages of prostate cancer, approximately 17 out of 100 men older than fifty years of age have prostate cancer. About 3 out of 100 die from it. With increasing age, the chance of developing prostate cancer increases. Prostate cancer in Germany with 25.4% of all diagnosed cancers is the most common cancer in men. The Robert Koch Institute forecasts 60,700 new cases of the disease for 2018. Currently in Germany at least half a million men have prostate cancer. However, if it is detected early, the forecasts and life expectancy will be good.
Prostate carcinoma occurs when the number of prostate cells begins to increase uncontrolledly. At first it does not cause any complaints. Only when the tumour becomes larger, do symptoms appear, such as problems with urination or blood in the urine. Often the bladder may not be completely emptied. Prostate carcinoma is a malignant cancer, but it usually grows slowly. The risk factors include, first of all, increasing age and genetic predisposition. “The risk for men under the age of 40 to develop prostate cancer is zero,” explains Dr. Joachim Zeitz who works at the Medical Expert Centre at the Munich Association of Insurance Groups. “However, already 30% of 50-year-olds can have prostate cancer in the absence of typical symptoms. In men over 50 years old, the risk increases as much as possible. Therefore, at this age, it is extremely important to have annual examinations,” says Dr. Zeitz.
“To make a diagnosis, the S3 guideline recommends, first of all, four methods of examination,” explains Dr. Zeitz. “Palpation, a PSA blood test, a transrectal ultrasound and biopsy. The right to be examined by an urologist once a year in Germany is given to all insured men over 45 years of age. However, as a rule, the PSA test is not paid by state health insurance funds. ”
PSA (prostate specific antigen) is a protein that is produced only by the prostate gland. With prostate cancer, PSA levels increase. “In the case of German Cancer Insurance as part of private supplementary insurance conducted by the Munich Association, the block of “preventive measures”, among other things, includes PSA tests,” explains Rodrigo Peretz, Head of Medical Insurance Services at the Munich Association. “With the help of the German Cancer Insurance, you can purposefully eliminate the gap in state health insurance services. Therefore, we offer two balanced blocks for health, cancer prevention and early detection, as well as pecuniary emergency aid. At the same time, prevention includes all tests for large-scale cancer prevention in men.”
