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A New Technique for Treating Low-risk Prostate Cancer—Super Active Surveillance
Published on: November 7, 2025
Navigating veterans with an abnormal prostate cancer screening test: a quasi-experimental study
Melissa A Simon1, Narissa J Nonzee, June M McKoy
1Robert H, Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. m-simon2@northwestern.edu.
BMC Health Services Research
|August 17, 2013
Summary
Patient navigation for prostate cancer screening did not significantly speed up diagnosis or treatment initiation. However, it did accelerate resolution for men experiencing delays beyond 80 days.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Health Services Research
- Health Disparities
Background:
- Prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment delays disproportionately affect minority and low-income populations.
- Veterans with abnormal prostate cancer screens face unique challenges in timely care.
- Patient navigation interventions aim to mitigate barriers to diagnostic resolution and treatment initiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a patient navigation intervention on the timeliness of diagnostic resolution and treatment initiation for veterans with abnormal prostate cancer screening results.
- To assess the impact of a social worker and lay health worker navigation team on overcoming healthcare access barriers.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial enrolled 490 veterans between 2006 and 2010.
- The intervention group received navigation support, while the control group did not.
- Time to diagnostic resolution and treatment initiation were compared, adjusting for race, age, and Gleason score.
Main Results:
- Overall, navigation did not significantly reduce the time to diagnostic resolution (median 97 vs. 111 days).
- However, navigation accelerated resolution for those with prolonged diagnostic periods (median 151 vs. 190 days, p=0.01).
- Navigation did not significantly impact time to treatment initiation for diagnosed cancer patients (median 93 vs. 87 days).
Conclusions:
- The patient navigation program showed no significant overall impact on prostate cancer diagnosis or treatment timelines.
- Navigation may be more effective in addressing delayed care pathways, particularly beyond 80 days.
- Future research should explore broader outcome measures for navigation program effectiveness.
