Conservative management of clinically localized prostate cancer

The purpose of this paper is to review and summarize the current knowledge on conservative management of localized prostate cancer. Deferring treatment for low-grade, clinically localized prostate cancer is an acceptable treatment option for patients with a life expectancy of 10-15 y or less. The outcome of available studies on deferred treatment in selected series cannot be compared with the outcome in register studies where the patients have been managed with noncurative intent, nor can it be directly compared with the outcome of selected series on other treatments. The outcome of different treatments for localized prostate cancer can only be compared in randomized studies.