The Press Association: End 'drastic' cancer surgery call

[Guest guest]

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iqH1UcietknV5Aqukbf98dOGqd0Q

A move to end unnecessary and drastic treatment for prostate cancer has been

taken by experts advising the Government.

The National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) said in

future men diagnosed with low-grade cancer should not automatically receive

radical surgery or radiotherapy.

Instead, they should be offered " active surveillance " - regular monitoring -

until their illness shows signs of becoming threatening.

Snip

There have been concerns that too many men with prostate cancer are

needlessly being put under the surgeon's knife or subjected to high doses of

radiation.

The new Nice guidelines for the first time advocate an " active surveillance "

policy to be universally adopted in England and Wales for men with low-risk,

localised prostate cancer.

Under active surveillance, no immediate action is taken to treat the patient

who instead is regularly tested for PSA (prostate specific antigen) in his

blood - the standard measurement tool for prostate cancer.

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From NICE in GB.

Kathy