Johns Hopkins Health Alert
When Watchful Waiting Is the Right Choice for Prostate Cancer
UPDATE
As part of our ongoing effort to ensure that this website is up to date, we have determined that the information in the article When Watchful Waiting Is the Right Choice for Prostate Cancer is no longer current, and has therefore been removed.
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Posted in Prostate Disorders on September 14, 2006
Reviewed June 2011
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My dad is 75 has had three heart attacks and his PSA is 44. He also gets testosterone shots weekly. I was wondering as was Harveyhugh Dec. 5, 2008 if these readings are unheard of? Why would his primary doctor give him testosterone shots with a psa of 44 ? His testerone runs around 300 when he doesn't get the shots. Please help me with some information. Thank you, Linda Cole
Posted by: LindaCole | January 20, 2009 1:58 PM
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This is a very helpful article. I think I may be a candidate for Watchful Waiting (or "Active Surveillance"), but my urologist points out that there is no real "protocol" for deciding exactly when to use it, nor when to reach decision to treat it.
In my case, I'll reach age 74 in about 4 months, PSA 5.24, Gleason 6(3+3)cancer in 3 of 12 sample cores, 70%, 20%, and less than 5%. One core PIN. I'm type 2 diabetic, good control with medication (non-insulin dependent), have Crohn's disease (mild case), and Renal Tubular Acidosis. Physical condition is otherwise good, and I exercise regularly. Both parents died of myocardial infarctions at age 82, the only prostate cancer in family history was paternal grandfather, who died of it about 1958.
From what I've been able to read, it appears to me that I ought to be able to keep a good watch on the cancer by having PSA and DRE every six months and annual biopsies. But my surgeon indicates that the cancer could still get away from us and metastasize too quickly to be caught by such a regimen.
I'd welcome information from knowledgable professional about any protocol approved by appropriate body for choosing "Watchful Waiting" for someone with physical profile similar to mine, specific surveillance protocol, and for decsion making guidance as to when to switch to treatment.
Posted by: gyrene | March 3, 2008 11:16 AM