Wait-and-watch approach may be safe for some men with prostate cancer

BOSTON — A wait-and-watch approach may be safe for some men with prostate cancer.

A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that men who actively monitor their early-stage, localized prostate cancer have the same survival rates after 15 years as men who undergo radiation or surgery to treat the cancer.

Men who had undergone surgery or radiotherapy often experienced negative side effects to their bowel, urinary, and sexual function for up to 12 years. A wait-and-watch approach would allow some men to avoid these potential side effects.

The researchers say patients and their doctors should weigh the benefits and possible harms of various treatments before making a hasty decision about therapy.

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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