Active Surveillance: Deferring Treatment

Prostate cancer can grow slowly and you may want to wait before jumping into treatment, depending on what stage you are in. Depending on the situation, deferring treatment for a while may be the best choice. This is often referred to as watchful waiting, active surveillance, expectant therapy, or sometimes just observation.

However, it’s important to recognize that active surveillance is not the same as doing nothing. It is often said more men die with prostate cancer than from it. In some cases, prostate cancer grows so slowly that a man can reach his full life expectancy before the cancer becomes a serious threat.

Active surveillance involves monitoring the situation closely. It is important that patients stay on top of their game by getting frequent PSA testing, repeat biopsies, and regular scans for any signs that the disease is advancing.

This approach can be combined with dietary changes and other efforts to keep the cancer from growing.

Men can always begin another form of treatment if the cancer shows any signs of becoming a threat.

This method is most often recommended for men in their 70s and older with non-aggressive localized cancers.