[Treatment errors involving diagnosis using prostate specific antigen. Decisions of the commission of experts for medical mistakes of treatment of the state medical board of North Rhine].

Advances in prostate specific antigen (PSA) diagnosis are accompanied by deficits in realization. The justification of claims by affected patients against their doctors are reviewed by commissions of experts and mediation by medical councils out of court, impartial and free of charge. The objectivity of the review is ensured by the independence of the commission and its members as well as the determination of facts and their assessment. Criteria are professional standards and required care. Since 1995, 21 requests by affected patients have been reviewed. In 15 cases (71.4%), treatment errors were ascertained. This involved either a delayed or an insufficient diagnosis (prostatic biopsy). In ten of the patients, a mostly early prostate cancer would have be diagnosed and treated at the time of the first finding of PSA values between 3.3 and 10.4 ng/ml. In ten of 13 patients, the tumor was diagnosed late, having PSA values between 6.8 and 1251 ng/ml with no chance of curative therapy. As in other life threatening diseases, time of recognition is most important for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with prostate cancer. Particularly for early recognition, PSA is much more sensitive then digital rectal examination, and in cases without a digital finding is the only parameter for early diagnoses. In men with suspicious PSA values (>4.0 ng/ml) suitable a diagnostic test (prostate biopsy) is required early, until cancer is detected or excluded.