Study: Early Prostate Cancer Treatment Increases Survival

By Dennis Douda, WCCO-TV

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men. Fortunately, a new study is giving patients some hope.

The new study came out Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. It shows being aggressive in treatment early on can be a very good thing.

In the study, researchers looked at more than 600 men over a 15-year period.

One group took the wait and see approach, while the other group had surgery right away to remove the prostate.

Those who had surgery reduced their chances of death by 25 percent. Those men were also 60 percent less likely to have the cancer spread to other parts of the body.

"A landmark study," said Dr. Herbert Lepor of the Langone Medical Center at NYU. "We now know, with great confidence, there is significant benefit as far as your overall survival if you choose radical prostatectomy."

The reason some doctors recommend watchful waiting is because prostate cancer grows so slowly and surgery comes with some pretty big risks. Problems with incontinence and sexual dysfunction can happen.