Active surveillance for prostate cancer
Active surveillance is used to ensure that these group of patients are not treated unnecessarily. It involves monitoring the PSA blood test closely at 3 monthly intervals and repeating your prostate biopsy on a yearly basis to ensure that your cancer is not progressing.
Choosing active surveillance can be a difficult and complicated decision. It is therefore important that you discuss your disease with a specialist who will guide you through the process, to see if it is a safe option for you.
Active surveillance is reserved for patients with small tmours (as seen on prostate biopsy) and biopsies which look less aggressive under the microscope (ie. a low Gleason grade - generally less than 7).