For men with early stage prostate cancer, a new treatment may be available. According to HealthDay News, new research shows that a drug designed to treat enlarged prostate glands may actually help slow the progression of cancer and reduce the need for more aggressive treatment.
Researchers at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto believe that administering Avodart to patients in the early stages of prostate cancer will help patients become more comfortable with a concept called “watchful waiting.” Because prostate cancer is a slow moving disease, most men are encouraged to simply monitor themselves in the early stages following diagnosis. This can make men uncomfortable, said study author Neil Fleshner.
“The concept of active surveillance is gaining traction in most parts of the world,” said Fleshner, who heads the urology division at the hospital. “By using this drug, we can improve the proportion of men who remain committed to the surveillance.”
In fact, although one out of every six men in the United States will develop prostate cancer in his lifetime, most will die of something else. The U.S. National Cancer Institute says this is because of the low-grade, slow moving nature of prostate cancer. But because patients don’t like doing nothing in the face of a cancer diagnosis, doctors are looking for an appropriate, low-grade treatment.
