Waiting it out might be best strategy for prostate cancer patients

Researchers in Seattle have found more evidence that taking a watch-and-wait approach might be the best strategy for low risk prostate cancer patients.

A statistical analysis shows that low-risk prostate cancer patients should consider active surveillance, sometimes known as “watchful waiting,” as opposed to immediate surgery.

Ruth Etzioni, a statistician at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center says just a tiny percentage of men with low risk prostate cancer will die from the disease in 20 years: about one to two percent.

That is only slightly higher than the mortality rate for men who chose surgery.

Using data from existing studies, Etzioni projected the likelihood of prostate cancer mortality among men with newly diagnosed, low risk cancer.

Etzioni also points out that men who chose watchful waiting can also expect to enjoy an average of six-point-four years without cancer treatments or side effects, compared to patients who chose surgery.

“We still need to evaluate whether delaying treatment enables [patients] to enjoy their lives or whether they’re anxious – and how that anxiety might impact their quality of life,” explained Etzioni.