Research from Monash University has found almost three-quarters of men with small or slow-growing prostate cancers are not being properly monitored or followed up by their clinicians.
The research, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, observed over 1,600 men over six years diagnosed with prostate cancer that only required an "active surveillance" program to monitor whether the cancer became more aggressive.
It found only 433 were properly monitored using the minimum requirement of a follow-up biopsy and three PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood tests within two years.
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that is a part of the male reproductive system and sits below the bladder. Prostate gland enlargement is a common condition men face as they get older. An enlarged prostate gland causes uncomfortable urinary symptoms, such as blocking the flow of urine out of the bladder, and problems with the bladder, urinary tract or kidneys.
Common symptoms include more frequent or urgent need to urinate, increased frequency of needing to use the bathroom at night, difficulty starting urination and weak urine stream or a stream that starts and stops. Symptoms worsen over time. Anyone with these symptoms should talk them over with his doctor. Left untreated, an enlarged prostate can lead to a sudden inability to urinate, cause urinary tract infections and bladder or kidney damage.
