When Is Active Surveillance Not Enough?
Prostate Cancer
When Is Active Surveillance Not Enough?
Prostate cancer is complicated, and there are differing opinions depending on the stage of the disease.
If you have low-risk cancer with a low PSA and a small number of cancer cells, active surveillance may be your best bet. Active surveillance includes a PSA test, rectal exam and high-quality imaging tests, which can identify minuscule yet important changes.
If you have been diagnosed with moderate-risk cancer, it’s a slippery slope. Something about the cancer isn’t low grade enough to be considered low risk, and many men choose to begin active treatment at this point. Active treatment involves removing the entire prostate, radiation or cryotherapy.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Prostate cancer is complicated, and there are differing opinions depending on the stage of the disease.
If you have low-risk cancer with a low PSA and a small number of cancer cells, active surveillance may be your best bet. Active surveillance includes a PSA test, rectal exam and high-quality imaging tests, which can identify minuscule yet important changes.
If you have been diagnosed with moderate-risk cancer, it’s a slippery slope. Something about the cancer isn’t low grade enough to be considered low risk, and many men choose to begin active treatment at this point. Active treatment involves removing the entire prostate, radiation or cryotherapy.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Treatment: When to Start?
Active surveillance for prostate cancer is a very specific protocol with requirements and guidelines. While this is not ideal for everyone, it may work for certain patients and spare them the side effects of treatment.
Treatment: Watching and Waiting
Active surveillance for prostate cancer is a very specific protocol with requirements and guidelines. While this is not ideal for everyone, it may work for certain patients and spare them the side effects of treatment.
Before you decide on a surgeon or a surgical technique for prostate cancer, you should understand the options and some key questions to ask your surgeon.
Treatment: Considering Surgery
Before you decide on a surgeon or a surgical technique for prostate cancer, you should understand the options and some key questions to ask your surgeon.