Tests for prostate cancer

The PSA test (Prostate Specific Antigen) makes it possible to establish whether someone has an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men. As it occurs mainly at older ages (about half of men with prostate cancer are older than 75 years), it is usual to do the PSA test for men aged 40 years and older. 

The questions on taking the PSA test are included in the written part of the Health and Labour module of Statistics Netherlands’ continuous Quality of Life survey (POLS).

This module is based on a representative sample of around 10 thousand people a year (0 years and older), excluding the institutionalised population.

The questions concerning the PSA test are only put to men aged 40 years and older. This results in around 2 thousand respondents a year. As they are based on a sample, the percentages referred to in the text are subject to an error of margin.