Active follow-up of prostate cancers

Today, earlier diagnosis of prostate cancer has allowed including, beside standard curative treatments, active follow-up of the disease. Such therapeutic management is based on a better knowledge of the natural history of prostate cancer and on possible detection of cases with slow progression. However, all criteria of selection of tumours that are likely to benefit from such surveillance are not always reliable and in some cases invasive treatment should replace surveillance. Analysis of active follow-up series shows that patients who benefit from such treatment have an unchanged prognosis. Active surveillance of prostate cancers may be considered a valuable option provided very strict limits are established regarding patients selection and follow-up.