Health Alert: More men are avoiding aggressive treatment of low-risk prostate cancer in favor of surveillance

Increasing numbers of men with low-risk prostate cancer are avoiding immediate surgery or radiation and instead are opting for close monitoring of the disease. The shift is sharply reducing unnecessary treatment that can cause serious side effects including incontinence and sexual problems, experts say, without increasing the risk of death. The latest evidence of the long-term development comes in a new study of more than 125,000 veterans diagnosed with non-aggressive prostate cancer between 2005 and 2015. Researchers found that at the beginning of the study, only 27 percent of the men under age 65 chose "watchful waiting" or "active surveillance" to see if the disease worsened. By 2015, 72 percent avoided immediate treatment in favor of monitoring. "I think it's hugely important," said Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, who has long warned about the dangers of overtreatment and was not involved in the study. "Remember that until 2010, a man diagnosed with prostate cancer was told to get your prostate out, next week at the latest."

Democracy Dies in Darkness     Health Alert May 15, 3:04 PM     More men are avoiding aggressive treatment of low-risk prostate cancer in favor of surveillance Increasing numbers of men with low-risk prostate cancer are avoiding immediate surgery or radiation and instead are opting for close monitoring of the disease. The shift is sharply reducing unnecessary treatment that can cause serious side effects including incontinence and sexual problems, experts say, without increasing the risk of death. The latest evidence of the long-term development comes in a new study of more than 125,000 veterans diagnosed with non-aggressive prostate cancer between 2005 and 2015. Researchers found that at the beginning of the study, only 27 percent of the men under age 65 chose "watchful waiting" or "active surveillance" to see if the disease worsened. By 2015, 72 percent avoided immediate treatment in favor of monitoring. "I think it's hugely important," said Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, who has long warned about the dangers of overtreatment and was not involved in the study. "Remember that until 2010, a man diagnosed with prostate cancer was told to get your prostate out, next week at the latest." Read more » Advertisement You received this email because you signed up for news alerts from The Washington Post. Manage my newsletters and alerts | Unsubscribe Privacy Policy | Help ©2018 The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071