Dr. Stephenson on the Impact of Active Surveillance in Prostate Cancer

Andrew Stephenson, MD, director of Urologic Oncology, Cleveland Clinic, discusses the impact of active surveillance on the field of prostate cancer.

There has been an important paradigm shift in the management of this disease, Stephenson explains. It positively impacts quality of life compared with other therapies for patients with localized prostate cancer, such as surgery and radiation therapy. There have been important developments evolving the techniques of these treatments, but there is still a negative impact on urinary, bowel, and sexual function by many patients treated with these modalities.

The aggressiveness of prostate cancer has changed substantially, he explains. Therefore, by subjecting all patients to treatment for prostate cancer, clinicians may be subjecting them to harm without any real, clear benefit, Stephenson adds.