Urological screening and health checks
Urological diseases, especially malignant diseases, can remain undetected for a long time. Luckily, if detected in time, there is a very good chance of a successful treatment. Taking into consideration that, of the six most common malignant tumours in men, three are urological tumours (prostate, bladder, kidney), a urological screening is incredibly valuable. During screening for male patients, we examine the prostate, bladder, and kidneys. For screenings with female patients, the bladder and kidneys are examined.
What does the urological screening include?
The urological screening includes: a thorough medical history examination and any risk factors, clinical examination, a digital rectal examination (DER), determination of urologically relevant blood values including PSA, a urine test to check for a bladder tumour, and an ultrasound examination of the kidneys, bladder, and prostate (TRUS).
Bladder
Bladder tumours are the fourth most common malignant disease in men and the eighth most common malignant disease in women. If bladder tumours are discovered in time, a complete recovery can be achieved in the vast majority of cases through endoscopic treatment. Advanced bladder tumours may necessitate bladder removal in individual cases.
Kidney
Kidney tumours can be easily detected through ultrasound examinations as part of a urological screening. They can normally be removed by a robot-assisted da Vinci surgery, a minimally invasive procedure that preserves the surrounding organs. Nowadays, if a kidney tumour is detected in time, kidney removal can be avoided in most cases.
Prostate
Enlargement of the prostate can occur from the age of 30. About one third of all men over 50 years of age experience symptoms that require treatment as a result of benign prostate enlargement. However, prostate enlargement is not always benign, and screenings can clarify whether any enlargement is malignant in nature. If prostate cancer is detected in time, the robot-assisted da Vinci surgical technique can be used in many cases for a minimally invasive treatment.
Questions about prostate screening:
Typical symptoms of an enlarged prostate include: weakening of the urine stream, a frequent urge to urinate, urination at night, the feeling that the bladder cannot be emptied completely, a feeling of pressure in the perineal area, and sometimes pain in the kidney area.
A prostate screening is recommended from the age of 45. If there is a family history of prostate cancer, then screening is recommended from age 40.
The treatment for prostate enlargement depends on the patient’s symptoms and the results of the urological examination. Herbal medicine can be used if symptoms are mild and the bladder is emptying well. If the patient is having difficulty urinating, medication with an alpha blocker is recommended. If symptoms do not improve despite medication or complications related to the prostate enlargement occur, then surgical treatment reducing or removing the prostate is often recommended. This can be done through procedures such as holmium laser enucleation or transurethral resection of the prostate.
An increase in PSA level above the age-dependent range or a continuous increase can indicate prostate cancer. However, there may also be benign changes in the prostate that can lead to an increase in the PSA level. This can include prostate inflammation, for example. If the PSA level is elevated, further urological examination is urgently required in order to rule out inflammation or other benign changes.
The treatment of malignant prostate enlargement depends on the age and health of the patient, the degree of malignancy, and any metastatic growth of the prostate cancer. The treatment spectrum ranges from controlled waiting to robot-assisted da Vinci surgery to various medicinal treatment methods. The decision as to whether and how prostate cancer should be treated is complex and requires individual urological consultation. Generally, localised prostate cancer that is detected in time can be treated more gently and with greater success.
Information
The urological screening is billed as a self-pay service according to the Gebührenordnung für Ärzte (GOÄ, statutory scale of fees for physicians) and is reimbursed by private health insurance companies. The examination is always carried out by one of our urological specialists.
To make an appointment for a check-up, please call 0 72 31 / 41 99 20
About this page:
Author
Medical director of the Goldstadt-Privatklinik.
Specialist for Urology, Mini-PCNL and robot-assisted da Vinci procedures.
Member in Scientific Societies and Reviewer of scientific journals.
