TriangleHEALTH PROFESSIONAL · SOURCE READING
Watchful waiting or active surveillance/active monitoring
Source: Prostate Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: May 14, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary.
Context: Treatment of Stage II Prostate Cancer / Treatment Options for Stage II Prostate Cancer
Asymptomatic patients of advanced age or with concomitant illness may warrant consideration of careful observation without immediate active treatment.[6-8] Watch and wait, observation, expectant management, and active surveillance/active monitoring are terms indicating a strategy that does not employ immediate therapy with curative intent. For more information, see the Treatment Option Overview for Prostate Cancer section.
Source links and citations
Evidence (observation with delayed hormonal therapy):
In a retrospective pooled analysis, 828 men with clinically localized prostate cancer were managed by initial conservative therapy with subsequent hormonal therapy given at the time of symptomatic disease progression.[6]
Source links and citations
In a retrospective pooled analysis, 828 men with clinically localized prostate cancer were managed by initial conservative therapy with subsequent hormonal therapy given at the time of symptomatic disease progression.[6]
Patients with well-differentiated tumors or moderately well-differentiated tumors experienced a disease-specific survival of 87% at 10 years. Overall survival (OS) closely approximated the expected survival among men of similar ages in the general population.
In a retrospective pooled analysis, 828 men with clinically localized prostate cancer were managed by initial conservative therapy with subsequent hormonal therapy given at the time of symptomatic disease progression.[6]
The decision to treat should be made in the context of the patient’s age, associated medical illnesses, and personal desires.
Publication references
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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice