A study presented at the 2006 Prostate Cancer Symposium on February 25 in San Francisco found that older men with early stage prostate cancer who were treated for the disease lived longer than those for whom "watchful waiting" was advised.

Due to the development of the prostate-specific antigen blood test, prostate cancer is often diagnosed at early stages during which it can grow slowly. Older men with early stage disease are sometimes observed rather than treated. Yu-Ning Wong, MD, an oncologist at Fox Chase Cancer Center who presented the study explained, "Some prostate cancers grow so slowly that they never become life-threatening, especially in elderly men who may die of other causes before the cancer causes problems. But other men develop complications and die from their cancer making the decision to treat quite difficult."

The current study evaluated the survival of 48,606 men diagnosed with prostate cancer between the ages of 65 and 80 who survived at least one year. A total of 14,098 men underwent radical prostatectomy, 19,948 were treated with radiation therapy and 14,560 were observed without being treated.

At the study's conclusion, men who received radiation therapy or radical prostatectomies survived an average of 13 years, while untreated men survived ten years. "This large, population-based study demonstrates a survival advantage for men treated with either radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy compared to observation," Dr Wong concluded. "Eligible men should be considered for both treatment options."

This study supports the findings of researchers who reported in the May 12, 2005 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine that prostate cancer patients treated with surgery lived longer than those who were only observed. With the advent of longer life spans and better treatment for other diseases, more older men may opt for prostate cancer treatment.