Friday, September 4th, 2009

'Watchful Waiting' on Prostate Cancer Treatment

Histopathology of adenocarcinoma in prostate tissue. CDC/ Dr. Edwin P. Ewing, Jr.

It's common advice for men of a certain age -- get tested for prostate cancer, and get treatment early. But is 'watchful waiting' a better option for patients with some types of low-risk tumors? Writing in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers report that they found no significant difference in mortality rates between men with small, low-risk tumors who sought immediate treatment and those who deferred treatment for years. We'll talk with one of the authors of the report about the findings and what they mean.

Guests

Martin Sanda
Associate Professor of Surgery and Urology, Harvard Medical School
Director, Prostate Care Center
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts

Related Links

• Prospective Study of Determinants and Outcomes of Deferred Treatment or Watchful Waiting Among Men With Prostate Cancer in a Nationwide Cohort

Segment produced by:Charles Bergquist

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