2024-03-13 04:22:14
Prostate cancer is the most common malignant tumor in men. For There is now a new procedure for high-risk patients to detect cancer and possible metastases at an early stage.
Prostate cancer occurs in around 68,000 men every year in this country, mostly in older people: the average age of all those affected is over 70 years. However, a prostate tumor rarely develops in young men.
The dangerous thing is that those affected hardly notice any symptoms, especially in the early stages. But if the cancer progresses unnoticed, it can spread throughout the body, explains the Professional Association of German Nuclear Medicine Doctors (BDN). “Approximately one in three patients is already in an advanced or even metastatic stage,” says Professor Dr. med. Detlef Moka, chairman of the BDN, in a press release.
Important to know
Men are recommended to undergo annual prostate cancer screening by a urologist – also known as screening. From the age of 45, statutory health insurance companies cover the benefit.
Prostate cancer: new diagnostics for high-risk patients
A new regulation from the Federal Joint Committee G-BA now refers to precisely these cases. If advanced prostate cancer is suspected, statutory health insurance patients are now entitled to so-called PSMA diagnostics. Behind this lies a highly sensitive examination method that can detect even the smallest tumor deposits in the body.
The abbreviation PSMA stands for “prostate-specific membrane antigen”, a surface marker that only occurs in small quantities on healthy prostate cells. “On the other hand, PSMA is present in significantly larger quantities on prostate cancer cells,” explains Moka. The more aggressive the tumor grows and forms metastases, the higher the PSMA values are. “The marker is therefore ideal for identifying tumor foci both in the prostate itself as well as in lymph nodes or other parts of the body.”
The procedure, also known as PSMA-PET/CT, therefore has a significant influence on important treatment decisions, according to the BDN. Being able to offer it to more patients with prostate cancer is a major advance in the treatment of this common tumor.
The procedure is suitable for high-risk patients
- a Gleason score of 8 to 10,
- a T staging of T3 or T4 or
- a PSA value in the blood serum above 20 ng/ml.
The urologist carries out such a tumor classification after a blood test and biopsy. “With these values, the risk of metastases is very high, which is why patients are now entitled to PSMA-PET/CT spread diagnostics right from the start,” explains Moka.
However, PSMA diagnostics can only be carried out as part of outpatient specialist medical care (ASV). This means that patients who are eligible based on the initial examination results must be referred to these special facilities. ASV teams are available in most major cities. At the ASV service point you will find the “ASV directory” under the menu item “For Patients”. There you can search for a facility in your region.