Immediate Surgery After Diagnosis Increases Survival Rates in Prostate Cancer

Undergoing prostate cancer surgery soon after being diagnosed with the disease will increase the survival rate, a new study conducted by researchers from the University Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden reveals. Majority of prostate cancer patients opt for a wait-and-see approach and will only agree for surgery if their condition worsens. However the new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that opting for early surgery could increase the survival chances by 38 percent.

The researchers conducted the study on 695 patients suffering from prostate cancer, half of whom underwent surgery to remove the cancer while the other half adopted a wait-and-see approach with medicines being given only when their condition worsened. The researchers found that around 14.6 percent of patients under 65-years of age who opted for surgery died compared to 20.7 percent of the wait-and-see group.

Commenting on the study, Dr Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Hospital said, “The study has provided important evidence that effective treatment is both necessary and possible for many men with early-stage prostate cancer.”


Source-Medindia