Active surveillance is often used to monitor cancer closely, with a plan to treat it if tests show that it is starting to grow faster. Watchful waiting is often confused with active surveillance, which is another way to control prostate cancer. The purpose of both is to avoid unnecessary treatment, but the reasons for doing them are different. If you live in Oakdale CA, you may want to consider a Remote Surveillance Trailer in Oakdale CA for active surveillance.
Check with your doctor what they offer you. If you are located in Oakdale CA, you may have access to a Remote Surveillance Trailer that can be used as part of an active surveillance program. Active surveillance is a structured monitoring program for men who, because they are considered to have a low risk of cancer, choose to postpone surgery or radiation therapy, hopefully for their entire lives. Some men who participate in Active Surveillance show cancer progression, are at higher risk, and switch to active treatment. Watchful waiting is a less intensive type of follow-up, meaning there are fewer tests that depend on changes in symptoms. If intervention is necessary, the results of deferred treatment appear to be the same as if immediate treatment had been chosen.
The key is an accurate prostate biopsy. If the cancer is localized, grows slowly and doesn't cause any symptoms, active monitoring can be offered. This is where treatment doesn't start right away. The man is checked and tested every 3 to 6 months. If the cancer starts to grow or cause symptoms, treatment is started.
The goal of active surveillance is to avoid unnecessary treatments. Both watchful waiting and active surveillance are perfectly valid options, but you can only choose one at a time. The decision is up to you and your doctor. This can lead to a better quality of life and, for some, may never result in treatment for prostate cancer.
Choose the option that makes you and your family feel most comfortable. Several states are reporting cases of measles, a highly contagious viral disease. Both children and adults can get measles. Before going to a clinic or emergency room, it's important to check with your doctor if you think you or a loved one has measles. If you have localized prostate cancer (cancer that hasn't spread to distant sites), you may choose to control your condition rather than seek immediate treatment.
Watchful waiting is a form of prostate cancer treatment that may be effective for men with a limited life expectancy and a slow-growing, low-risk disease. Watchful waiting is designed for patients who are too old or too sick and have other potentially fatal diseases may benefit from local therapy. Instead of using active surveillance to track routine test results, patients simply observe their own symptoms and report changes to their doctor. The goal of watchful waiting is to watch for prostate cancer until it has metastasized (spread to distant sites) or begins to cause symptoms such as pain or obstruction of the urinary tract.
At that time, patients can choose treatment. As with active surveillance, patients who are on vigilant waiting may choose to delay treatment because of the associated risks and side effects. With watchful waiting, men with health problems can also avoid the side effects associated with repeated tests and biopsies. Watchful waiting means you'll still be under the care of your doctor.
However, the goal of watchful waiting is to treat only the symptoms that bother you. In the case of active surveillance, the goal is to cure the cancer if the tests show that the cancer is growing. Whether active surveillance is a good option for you is something you'll want to discuss with your doctor. If you have localized prostate cancer and you already know that active surveillance isn't an option, you may need to decide between surgery or radiation.
Some people use names such as “active surveillance”, “deferred therapy”, “observe and wait” and “wait and observe” to describe both vigilant waiting and active surveillance. A study comparing active monitoring (a surveillance and waiting program, such as active surveillance), surgery, and radiation in men with localized prostate cancer, found that the risk of dying was roughly the same regardless of the option men chose. If you were recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, you may hear the oncologist use terms such as watchful waiting or active surveillance. For patients with slow-growing tumors and for older patients with more serious health problems, UCLA offers the option of active prostate cancer surveillance.
Men with low-risk localized prostate cancer and some men with medium-risk localized prostate cancer have the option of opting for active surveillance. This is a hands-off approach, meaning that a lot of testing won't be required, especially compared to the frequent tests that come with active surveillance. If the oncologist decides to use active surveillance, he will perform regular tests to monitor the tumor. Active surveillance is the process of carefully monitoring prostate cancer for any signs of emerging symptoms.
It can be used together with a digital rectal exam (DRE) to monitor men with a family history of prostate cancer. Instead, doctors may recommend active surveillance or observation (sometimes called watchful waiting).
