Active surveillance an option for some men with prostate cancer
Men with prostate cancer are often advised to hold off on radical treatment to see whether they can maintain a normal life while a doctor monitors the disease. This strategy of “active surveillance” involves testing and exams, says Upstate urologist Rakesh Khanna, MD, and a less aggressive variation is called “watchful waiting.” Both aim to avoid the incontinence and impotence that can result from surgery or radiation treatment, says Khanna, who also explains the promise and limitations of PSA (prostate-specific antigen) testing to screen for prostate cancer.