A 'Real-World' Study of Prostate Cancer Surveillance

In this study men with lower risk prostate cancer were found to benefit from waiting and watching. I would imagine that would be Gleason 6 and lower. I would love to see a study on Gleason 7 patients as that is a more difficult decision.

Is active surveillance a trustworthy and viable method to manage prostate cancer in a variety of practice settings — that is, outside the small group of academic centers that have pioneered and proven the approach in North America?

The answer appears to be yes — in the short run at least, according to findings from a nine-site cohort study that includes a Veterans Administration (VA) hospital and a community-based practice.

"Active surveillance is safe and a good initial strategy. About 10% to 15% of men fall off each year and transition to treatment," summarized investigator Daniel Lin, MD, a urologist at the University of Washington and Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle.
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