Watchful Waiting v Active Surveillance

[Guest guest]

,

Your post illustrates very clearly why so

many of those of us who chose not to have immediate conventional treatment

following diagnosis objected to the term Watchful Waiting. For most  it did NOT

mean just sitting back and holding thumbs that we wouldn’t land up with

an untreatable staged disease. They used whatever means were available to

monitor any progress and many at the same time enhanced their immune system by

tackling the main issues of life style that might distract the immune system

doing what it was set up to do – to deal with aberrant cells.

I always felt that Watchful Waiting

summoned up a picture of the bait for a leopard hunt – the usual method

being to tether a goat in a clearing and wait for the leopard to pounce. A very

uncomfortable position for the goat!!  We tried to get a different phrase used –

Dr Strum for example favored Objectified Observation, which was not a lot

better, but we were prêt pleased when Active Surveillance took hold and became

the ‘industry standard’ phrase. It is an empowering phrase and

turns the table on the leopard which is now being observed on a regular basis

and which will be attacked if and when required.

Essentially there is no difference in what

is being done. It just feels better to be an Active Surveiller than a Watchful

Waiter – that guy in the corener of the restaurant whose eye you can

never catch!!

All the best

Terry Herbert

I have no medical

qualifications but I was diagnosed in ‘96: and have learned a bit since

then.

My sites are at www.yananow.net  and www.prostatecancerwatchfulwaiting.co.za 

Dr

“Snuffy” Myers : " As a physician, I am painfully aware that most of

the decisions we make with regard to prostate cancer are made with inadequate

data "

From: ProstateCancerSupport

[mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Metcalf

Sent: Tuesday, 2 February 2010

10:02 AM

To:

ProstateCancerSupport

Subject: Re:

Active Surveillance

Terry I suppose whichever way you look at it, AS is a thousand times

better than WW. Certainly from our UK point of view.

WW seemed to mean wait till you you hurt somewhere and we show it is

bone mets or whatever manifestation secondaries turn up as. True in many men

this didn't happen before the apparition with the scythe carried them away with

some different cause.

The newer AS in its true sense tries to monitor changes in PSA etc. In

some cases indication comes that there is agressive movement that indicates

either radical action or maintainance of the close watch. In other cases

indications are that there is slow or imperceptable change, thus the periods

between tests can be lengthened.

Regarding e-forums such as ours, membership tends to be mainly those

who still have issues. Only a few of those who have radical treatment and

minimal side effects stay with groups, I'm grateful for those that do. Also I

can imagine that if AS is going well, there are more important things in life

than reading about other people's troubles, again I am grateful for those who

stay with us.

Best wishes to you all