Heterogeneity in active surveillance protocols worldwide.

Abstract

Prostate cancer screening is controversial due to downstream consequences that include overdiagnosis and overtreatment of low-risk tumors. In the 2014 National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines, active surveillance is recommended as a management strategy to avoid the side effects associated with definitive therapy that may be unnecessary.1 Although the use of active surveillance has recently increased in many parts of the world,2 there is no consensus on patient selection and follow-up protocols.3 Two recent studies performed surveys of practicing urologists to characterize the heterogeneity in the type, frequency, and sequence of follow-up testing used in active surveillance.