Novel Study Unravels Reason Behind Improved Prostate Cancer Survival Rates

According to a latest study, those elderly men with early stage of prostate cancer had greater likelihood of survival without surgical intervention or radiation in today’s times than was observed merely a few decades back.

Scientists investigated results amongst elderly men over 65 years detected with localised prostate cancer subsequent to being introduced to PSA or Prostate Cancer Screening. The mortality rates due to prostate cancer with a decade of identification amongst men that did not undergo surgery or radiation was seen between 2-6% during the 1990’s.

The mortality rates in elderly men in analogous age bracket and disease features, was seen to be 15-23% in those that decided not to undergo these treatments during the time spans prior to the introduction of the PSA testing.

After PSA testing was introduced as a screening device since the later part of 1980, there have been drastic variations with greater number of diagnosis in patients with early stage cancers.

However, cynics beg to differ by stating that PSA testing has saved fewer lives but has led to unwanted treatment for a huge populace of men. Latest studies have shown to back this claim.

The latest study that was seen in Wednesday’s publication of ‘The Journal of the American Medical Association’ incorporated those elderly men having early prostate cancer that firstly opted for active supervision also called watchful waiting – rather than undergoing surgery or radiation.

In comparison to men detected prior the PSA period, those that chose for active surveillance during the years 1992 and 2002 were noted to have a 60-70% less likelihood of death due to the disease within ten years of detection.

Grace L. Lu-Yao, Ph D, the scientist involved in this study states that active surveillance is a viable choice for elderly men having localised disease, though quite a few men opt for it. She further added that the knee jerk reaction when they are diagnosed with cancer is to rush to do some kind of treatment for it.

According to a particular estimation, lesser than ten percent who opted for active surveillance, make a decision to skip or postpone treatment involving surgery or radiation.

Lu-Yao stated that it is becoming more apparent that this approach might be favourable rather than the remedial treatment in elderly and younger men with health situations that had a mortal likelihood prior to the gradual-progressing cancer does.

The study undertaken diagnosed elderly men whose age averaged 78 years with early-stage prostate cancers and none having undergone surgery or radiation within the time span of six months following diagnosis.

Lu-Yao alongside other associates scrutinised results amongst men that were followed for a median of 8.3years. Men that had early-stage prostate cancer, superior to near moderate diagnosis disease were 6 times more prone to expire due to some other reason other than their prostate cancer.

The mortality rate due to prostate cancer within ten years of diagnosis was nearly 25% without surgical intervention or radiation amongst patients that had most destructive disease features.

Majority of elderly men that might be participants for active surveillance might still view surgery or radiation as a more preferred choice to watchful waiting.

Observing patients was not a benign or economical process. Majority of patients undergo PSA tests every 3 months and a biopsy conducted at least once annually.

Popularity: 1% [?]