Active surveillance and observation
Deliberately not treating a cancer yet, but checking it regularly with blood tests, scans or biopsies and treating only if it shows signs of progressing. Standard for low-risk prostate cancer, small kidney masses and several other slow conditions.
Active surveillance avoids or defers the harms of treatment for cancers unlikely to cause trouble: Grade Group 1 prostate cancer (ProtecT showed no survival penalty at 15 years), small renal masses, papillary thyroid microcarcinoma, low-risk DCIS (COMET), smouldering myeloma and early-stage CLL, and stage I testicular cancer after orchiectomy. It differs from watchful waiting, which forgoes curative intent. 'Surveillance' also describes the scheduled follow-up after curative treatment (CT, ctDNA, MRI in small-cell lung cancer instead of prophylactic cranial irradiation), and after complete response in organ-preservation strategies (SANO in oesophageal cancer).
Pages like this
not linked directly; found by shared links- TermRadical prostatectomy
Shares ProtecT, Gleason score and Grade Group, Active surveillance, Prostate cancer.
- TermTumour differentiation (well / moderately / poorly differentiated)
Shares Gleason score and Grade Group, Thyroid cancer, Prostate cancer.
- IdeaOrgan preservation as the default after complete response in oesophageal cancer
Shares SANO, Active surveillance.
- TermThyroidectomy
Shares Active surveillance, Thyroid cancer.
- TermTumour markers (CEA, LDH, chromogranin, thyroglobulin)
- TermGleason score / Grade Group
Shares Active surveillance, Prostate cancer.
- TermNephrectomy
Shares Active surveillance, Renal cell carcinoma.
- TechnologyActive surveillance of papillary microcarcinoma
Shares Active surveillance, Thyroid cancer.