Men aged 65 with localized, low-risk prostate cancer may fare better if they are followed closely rather than treated immediately, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Here is some information about prostate cancer: • It is the most commonly occurring cancer in men • In its early stages, it is often symptomless, which makes screening for the disease important • It usually starts showing up in men aged 40 and older Researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School used a simulation model to create a hypothetical group of 65 year-old men newly diagnosed with localized, low-risk prostate cancer. They then used the model to estimate how well these men would fare if they were treated with brachytherapy, radiation therapy, surgical removal of the prostate, or active surveillance. Active surveillance consisted of close monitoring with serial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurements, digital rectal examinations, and biopsies. Treatment was started if the disease progressed or when the patient chose treatment. To determine how the men fared, the investigators used an assessment technique known as quality-adjusted life-years, or QALY, which takes into account both how long the men lived and how high their quality of life is while they remained alive. QALY was highest for the men who underwent active surveillance, followed by brachytherapy, radiation, and finally surgery. Even when the risk of dying from prostate …

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