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Prostate cancer strikes 200,000 American men each year, killing more than 30,000. Dr. Mulvihill tells us about a new study that may change the way it's treated.
"We used to say, you could do watchful waiting because there are no studies to show that your survival will be compromised. And we can't say that anymore."
As reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, Scandinavian researchers followed almost 700 men who had early stage prostate cancer. Half underwent radical surgery, half were assigned to watchful waiting.
After six years, twice as many men in the wait and see group had died from prostate cancer, as those who had surgery.
Doctor Roach says that while the results are impressive, he suspects they would be even more so here in the U.S., where surgeons are more experienced with radical prostatectomy.
"So if you can make people with low-risk prostate cancer live longer with treatment, the patients with what we call intermediate risk or high risk prostate cancer, who are a greater risk for death from prostate cancer, are likely to benefit even more from treatment," he says.
And with men in both groups reporting similar quality of life, Dr. Roach thinks it's going to change how people see prostate cancer.
"I think that there are going to be fewer and fewer men saying, 'You know, I dont' think I want to be treated for prostate cancer. I think I want to do watchful waiting." Kim adds that deciding on radiation... surgery... or no treatment at all remains a personal choice, but this study adds valuable information to help make that decision.
Deciding on radiation, surgery, or no treatment at all remains a personal choice, but this study adds valuable information to help make that decision.
