Posted on July 30, 2012
Dr. Whang Comments :
This article suggests that surgery did not improve overall survival from prostate cancer compared to observation.
However, there are many flaws with the study that invalidated their conclusion.
The follow up was only for 10 years. Prostate cancer surival should be evaluated at 15 and 20 years because it is a slow growing cancer. In addition, the mean age of patients was 67 (too old). We are finding patients in their 40′s and early 50′s. If we watch observe these patients, eventually, they will have death due to prostate cancer. These patients should be offerred active treatment including robotic prostatectomy and HIFU. HIFU has the advantage of reduced impotence and incontinence side effects compared to surgery