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Updated: May 15, 2026
05:19
A New Technique for Treating Low-risk Prostate Cancer—Super Active Surveillance
Published on: November 7, 2025
Active surveillance for prostate cancer: overview and update
1Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Ave MG 408, Toronto, M4N 3M5, Ontario, Canada. Laurence.klotz@sunnybrook.ca
Current Treatment Options in Oncology
|January 16, 2013
Summary
Active surveillance is a preferred approach for managing low-risk prostate cancer, avoiding overtreatment. This strategy defers immediate therapy, focusing on monitoring for disease progression.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Urology
- Medical Ethics
Background:
- Screening advancements have led to increased diagnosis of low-grade prostate cancer.
- This raises concerns about potential overdiagnosis and overtreatment, impacting quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore active surveillance as a management strategy for low-risk prostate cancer.
- To balance the risks of overtreatment against the potential for disease progression.
Main Methods:
- Active surveillance involves expectant management with regular monitoring.
- Patients are observed for evidence of disease reclassification to a more aggressive form.
Main Results:
- Low-risk prostate cancer often has a long natural history, suggesting many cases do not require immediate intervention.
- Active surveillance aims to reduce adverse quality of life effects associated with overtreatment.
Conclusions:
- Active surveillance is increasingly recognized as the management of choice for very low-risk and low-risk prostate cancer.
- This approach views low-risk prostate cancer as a risk factor rather than an immediate life-threatening condition.
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