Early Test for Cancer Isn't Always Best Course Aug 12, 2008
Once cancer is found, surgery, radiation or hormone therapy, or watchful waiting, may be advised. Treatments for prostate cancer can cause significant harm, rendering men incontinent or impotent, or with other urethral, bowel or bladder problems. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
"When is a life-threatening disease not worth treating? When something else will kill you first."The Price of SurvivalBy William Saletan Aug 9, 2008
It also matches a , cited in the key paragraph, that compared "radical prostatectomy" to "watchful waiting" in two groups of men. The study found that with prostate removal, "The absolute reduction in the risk of death after 10 years is small.". (Slate)
U.S. Preventive Medicine Supports Testing Older Men for Prostate Cancer Aug 7, 2008
"Without question, the healthier a person is at that age the more benefit can be gained by continuing to be active with detection and prevention efforts." Dr. Lyles points out that there are various treatment options for prostate cancer, including watchful waiting, with periodic PSA testing, to several types of radiation and surgery. "I am a strong supporter of periodic PSA and digital exam testing, along with a discussion of all treatment options with the older patient if cancer is found, so... (PR Newswire)
Long Life May Mean One Less Cancer Test Aug 5, 2008
Some doctors instead recommend "watchful waiting" to monitor signs of the disease and treat only if they worsen, but smaller studies give conflicting views on whether that's a safe approach. Copyright 2008 by. (KFOXTV.com, TX)
'Red Flags': 10 Symptoms You Can't Ignore Jul 30, 2008
Any doctor will tell you that, given the presence of certain concerning symptoms, "watchful waiting" is never the right approach. Dr. Richard O'Brien, spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians, says he often sees patients who have put off their trip to the emergency room for hours or days, ignoring worrisome symptoms. (ABC News)
Good and Evil: A Cancer Vaccine from Tobacco Plants Jul 23, 2008
"A technology that is fast, like this one, is more amenable to a watchful waiting approach than a technology that is slow to produce.". This and other work by pumping a patient full of the same protein or antigen that is on the surface of tumor cells. (Scientific American)
Plants Make Vaccine For Treating Type Of Cancer In Phase-1 Study Jul 23, 2008
The standard treatment, chemotherapy, has such severe side effects that patients often opt for watchful waiting in the early stages of illness. However, plant-grown vaccines, which lack side effects, could allow earlier, more aggressive management of the cancer. (Science Daily)
Racial Disparity Seen in Prostate Cancer Treatment Jul 22, 2008
In fact, "watchful waiting" -- where a doctor monitors the progression of the cancer -- can be a better option in cases where the risks and side effects of treatment may outweigh the benefits. Men who are elderly or in poor general health and those whose tumors seem to be particularly slow-growing may be advised to take the wait-and-see approach. (MEDLINEplus)
Localized prostate cancer rarely helped by hormone therapy Jul 13, 2008
Guidelines promulgated by national organizations recommend one of three approaches for treating such tumors: surgical removal, radiation therapy or expectant management, better known as watchful waiting. The rationale for watchful waiting is that most of these tumors grow so slowly that an elderly patient is likely to die of something else before the tumor kills him. (Los Angeles Times)
Hormone Therapy Shows Little Benefit Against Prostate Cancer Jul 13, 2008
Survival rates no different than 'watchful waiting,' study shows. HealthDay. (MEDLINEplus)
Where you liveaffects your health care Jul 2, 2008
More prostate surgery Prostate cancer often presents a man with difficult decisions, because in many cases, it's not clear whether it's better to have surgery or radiation or just to opt for "watchful waiting." The uncertainty leaves room for doctors to settle on very different approaches ... So while physicians in one region may tend toward watchful waiting in the treatment of prostate cancer, for example, those in another area may feel that more aggressive treatment is warranted. (MSNBC -- Health)
THE YOU DOCS Jul 2, 2008
Both my doctor and the urologist he sent me to told me I have benign prostatic hypertrophy, but they are not recommending surgery or medicine, just "watchful waiting." What does this mean ... Watchful waiting means you and your doctor watch how you do and do not use any pills or surgical instruments right away. (OregonLive, OR -- News)
North Korea: Tough Diplomacy At Work Jun 27, 2008
The vital next step for the U.S. and the free world is to do some watchful waiting to assure that this aggressive regime remains on track in its denuclearization. It's equally crucial to monitor its relations with other members of the axis of evil, as in North Korea helping Syria with its nuclear weapons ambitions. (Investors Business Daily)
Prostate Cancer: Why Every Man Ought To Be Concerned! Jun 25, 2008
A form of watchful waiting (Prostate Cancer Foundation, 2008) can also be recommended by ones doctor, in which case the patients health will be under very careful scrutiny ... A form of watchful waiting (Prostate Cancer Foundation, 2008) can also be recommended by ones doctor, in which case the patients health will be under very careful scrutiny. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Targeting prostate cancer Jun 20, 2008
Men have options of surgically removing the prostate, internal or external radiation, cryotherapy, hormone therapy or watchful waiting ... Hormone therapy and watchful waiting are real options for older men, because prostate cancer is typically very slow moving. (Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal)
Can Lifestyle Changes Bring Out the Best in Genes? Jun 18, 2008
The subjects had all opted to skip conventional surgical or radiation treatment in favor of a "watchful waiting" approach. The researchers say it is too early to tell whether the kept the cancer cells in check. (Scientific American)
Nurses Notes - Men 50 or older should be tested for prostate cancer Jun 11, 2008
You may choose watchful waiting if the risks and possible side effects of treatment outweigh the possible benefits ... He or she also may suggest watchful waiting if you are diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer that seems to be slowly growing. (Missoulian, MT)
• Health decisions with an eye to the bottom line Jun 9, 2008
They can choose "watchful waiting" to see how the normally slow-growing tumor progresses. Chemotherapy is another possibility. (Q13.com, WA)
Data Re-analysis Shows Drug Finasteride May Reduce Risk For Most Prostate Cancers May 25, 2008
"We know that it reduces PSA levels, which are indicative of prostatic disease. Finasteride appears to be particularly adept at suppressing the more indolent cancers. So in the future, it might be useful to use the drug to determine just how aggressive -- and needful of treatment -- a particular tumor is. If the patient takes finasteride and his PSA levels quickly drop, he probably has a less-threatening tumor that may just require 'watchful waiting.' But if PSA levels rise, that tumor may need... (Science Daily)
Stress warningAre Burma's weary relief workers risking mental trauma? May 23, 2008
But these days, according to Professor Williams, the approach that is often taken is to undertake what he calls "a month of watchful waiting or psychological first aid". "We give people a lot of support, help them to return to a more normal set of arrangements as quickly as possible," he said. (BBC News -- Health)
Lowering Cholesterol May Also Lower Prostate Cancer Risk May 23, 2008
Two other studies presented Wednesday confirmed that so-called "watchful waiting" of men with a low risk of prostate cancer is a viable option. Watchful waiting is a strategy in which no treatment is given, but the patient is monitored to check the progress of the cancer. (MEDLINEplus)
Bubble Trouble May 20, 2008
"The Princeton squad argues that the Fed can and should try to restrain bubbles," the Journal wrote, "rather than following former Chairman Alan Greenspan's approach: watchful waiting while prices rise and then cleaning up the mess after a bubble bursts." last Thursday, Federal Reserve Gov. Frederic Mishkin said that while the Fed probably shouldn't be in the asset-bubble-bursting business, it should have mechanisms in place to stop periodic outbursts of investor insanity from infecting the... (Slate)
Needham's Team TJ rides for research May 14, 2008
We re still in watchful waiting, cautiously hoping the tumor won t grow, Liz Ragnoni said. If it does start growing, we ll start another treatment We re living from MRI to MRI.. (Needham Tab, MA)
Scoliosis: An Unnatural Curve May 12, 2008
Treatment includes watchful waiting, bracing and, sometimes, surgery. By Serena GordonHealthDay Reporter. (Health-Finder)
"Watchful Waiting" an Option for Some with HPV Apr 1, 2008
MedlinePlus: " Watchful waiting" an option for some with HPV. " Watchful waiting" an option for some with HPV ... NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A period of "watchful waiting" may be an appropriate strategy for women who initially test positive for a carcinogenic subtype of human papillomavirus (HPV), but who have apparently normal cells in their cervix, new research suggests. (MEDLINEplus)
HPV-Based Screening More Accurate At Detecting Cervical Precancers Than Cytology, Study Suggests Mar 27, 2008
26, 2008) Watchful waiting may be an adequate initial treatment for many women infected with a carcinogenic type of human papillomavirus (HPV) if they have normal cervical cell cytology. Some types of HPV. (Science Daily)
Watchful Waiting May Be Proper Initial Treatment For Some HPV Infections, Study Suggests Mar 27, 2008
26, 2008) Watchful waiting may be an adequate initial treatment for many women infected with a carcinogenic type of human papillomavirus (HPV) if they have normal cervical cell cytology ... "These data suggest that, when possible, a patient with a normal cytology and initial positive HPV result should be managed with watchful waiting because a 12-month follow-up can safely exclude more than 50 percent of infections as transient," the authors write. (Science Daily)
A landmark study to compare HPV tests Mar 26, 2008
The research team, led by Guglielmo Ronco of the Centre for Cancer Prevention in Turin, Italy, recommends that, if HPV testing is done in younger women, that a watchful waiting approach be used essentially that no action be taken for 12 months and that women be retested. This is because most HPV infections clear naturally. (Globe and Mail)
What's Your Doctor's Style? Mar 10, 2008
If so, a doctor who believes in a little watchful waiting will help you stay healthy. Or, do you minimize serious symptoms. (San Francisco Chronicle)
A lack of data hinders treatment of prostate cancer Feb 27, 2008
This month, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality issued a sweeping review of prostate cancer treatments, including surgical removal, radiation, hormone therapy and so-called watchful waiting, which involves careful monitoring but no active treatment until the cancer shows signs of growing. Because none of these treatments emerged as superior, the agency came to the troubling conclusion that it could not recommend one over the others. (International Herald Tribune -- Health)
Some older men delay prostate cancer treatment; study shows most survive without it Feb 19, 2008
Some doctors instead recommend "watchful waiting" to monitor signs of the disease and treat only if they worsen, but smaller studies have given conflicting views of the safety of that approach ... jpgic review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded that evidence was too thin to recommend treatment over watchful waiting, or one treatment over another. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Prostate Cancer Watch And Wait Suggested For Older Men Feb 14, 2008
Part of the shift toward watchful waiting comes because prostate cancer can take over a decade to develop after the early signs are detected ... Now with the PSA test, doctors are finding out much earlier, and the treatment options become broader, including wait and see, or "watchful waiting" as it has also been called ... So the watchful waiting has to be balanced against whether the patient will withstand the operation if he waits much longer. (Medical News Today)
'Watchful waiting' boosted as option for older prostate cancer patients Feb 13, 2008
Watchful waiting' boosted as option for older prostate cancer patients - The Boston Globe ... Watchful waiting' boosted as option for older prostate cancer patients ... Some doctors instead recommend "watchful waiting" to monitor signs of the disease and treatment only if they worsen, but smaller studies have given conflicting views of that approach. (Boston Globe)
Study: Older men with prostate cancer can delay treatment Feb 13, 2008
Some doctors instead recommend "watchful waiting" to monitor signs of the disease and treat only if they worsen, but smaller studies have given conflicting views of the safety of that approach ... Earlier this month, a scientific review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded that evidence was too thin to recommend treatment over watchful waiting, or one treatment over another. (USA Today -- News)
Delaying prostate-cancer treatment small risk for older men, study says Feb 13, 2008
Some doctors instead recommend "watchful waiting" to monitor signs of the disease and treat only if they worsen, but smaller studies give conflicting views of the safety of that approach. The new study looked at the natural course of the disease in men who chose that option. (AZCentral -- News)
The Big Question: Are we on the brink of a breakthrough in the ... Feb 12, 2008
Scientists are getting better at telling them apart and recommending treatment or "watchful waiting", in which the progress of the cancer is regularly monitored. But there is still a lot further to go. (Independent)
11 Things to Know About Prostate Cancer Feb 10, 2008
It reviews all of the available scientific evidence--the authors considered 592 published articles--on the effectiveness and potential harms of eight widely used : radical prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy (including intensity-modulated radiation therapy and ), brachytherapy, cryoablation, androgen deprivation therapy, watchful waiting, robotic prostatectomy, and high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy ... One study shows that men under 65 who choose surgery over watchful waiting, for... (Yahoo News -- Top Stories)
Prostate Cancer Vaccine Effective In Mice, Study Shows Feb 6, 2008
Now, men with rising PSA levels but no other signs of cancer are advised "watchful waiting" -- no treatment until signs of the cancer appear, Kast says. "But what if instead of a watchful wait, we vaccinate" That could change the course of the disease. (Science Daily)
Experimental Vaccine Halts Prostate Cancer in Mice Feb 1, 2008
The vaccine could be given instead of the "watchful waiting" now common for these men, Kast said. The series of animal tests needed to prepare for a first human trial will take perhaps two years, Kast said. (Health-Finder)
Prostate cancer: Watchful wait or vaccinate? Feb 1, 2008
Now, men with rising PSA levels but no other signs of cancer are advised watchful waiting no treatment until signs of the cancer appear, Kast says. But what if instead of a watchful wait, we vaccinate" That could change the course of the disease. The study findings also represent a new way to think about the use of therapeutic prostate cancer vaccines, Kast says. Vaccines now in testing are designed to treat men whose cancers are advanced and unresponsive to therapy, and results have... (EurekAlert!)
Management of Prostate Cancer Jan 27, 2008
k.a. watchful waiting), surgery (prostatectomy), external beam radiation therapy, implantation of radioactive material (brachytherapy), and lowering testosterone levels (androgen ablation) with medication or surgical removal of the testes (orchiectomy). Patients should discuss with their doctor about which treatments are best for their individual case. (Suite101.com)
Prostate screening: Some men say no Jan 18, 2008
Treatment options can range from surgery to radiation therapy to watchful waiting, a strategy of keeping an eye out for rising PSA levels. Potential side effects of treatment must be considered as an outcome of screening, said Dr. Barry Kramer, associate director for disease prevention at the National Institutes of Health. (MSNBC -- Health)
Use Of Ear Tubes For Ear Infections Not Consistent With Expert Guidelines, Study Says Jan 11, 2008
The research, conducted by Salomeh Keyhani, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and her multidisciplinary team of colleagues, found that most children who had ear tube operations in the New York City area in 2002 had mild disease for which experts recommend either medical treatment or watchful waiting not ear tube implantation. These findings suggest overuse of ear tubes and update a similar finding made about this practice in the... (Science Daily)
Treating Oft Ignored Non-cancer Health Issues After Cancer Diagnosis Prolongs Survival Jan 2, 2008
27, 2006) A new study shows older men with early stage prostate cancer survive longer if they are treated versus not being treated in favor of the "watchful waiting" approach advocated by many physicians for. . (Science Daily)
Veterinary Dentistry Opens Wide Dec 16, 2007
"The days of clean-and-pull or watchful waiting in the case of fractured teeth have been replaced by prevention, recognition, and treatment of dental disease and painful oral conditions," writes lead author Sharon Hoffman, DVM, a diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College, in the report, titled "Myths and misconceptions in veterinary dentistry." A pet's mouth, Hoffman says, deserves the same attention as the rest of the body. Pets, she said, should receive an oral exam each time they... (PR Newswire)
TGen finds key prostate cancer gene Dec 12, 2007
Now, some doctors recommend patients diagnosed with prostate cancer take a "watchful waiting" approach to monitor whether symptoms worsen. The risk in such an approach is that if the disease is aggressive, it can spread beyond the prostate, making it more difficult to treat. (AZCentral -- News)
Prostate Cancer Treatments Often Compound Existing Health Problems Nov 28, 2007
In addition, among patients with significant dysfunction in all three areas for whom no treatment would be recommended, only 5 percent chose watchful waiting ... "Watchful waiting is a legitimate option in a significant proportion of men.". (MEDLINEplus)
'Mismatched' prostate cancer treatment more common than expected Nov 26, 2007
Among Group 4 patients those with dysfunction in all three areas only 5 percent chose watchful waiting, a strategy in which they receive no treatment but are followed closely by their medical team. Since patients take many considerations into account when choosing therapies, the surveys asked about several factors that might affect those decisions, none of which could account for the mismatched choices. (EurekAlert!)
Rushing to remove a child's tonsils not such a great idea Nov 23, 2007
The study involved a group of 151 children randomly assigned to have surgery within six weeks, while another 149 were assigned to watchful waiting, which involved close monitoring and additional interventions as necessary. Epidemiologist Dr. Erik Buskens, says the surgery resulted in a significant increase in costs without any relevant clinical benefit being realised. (News-Medical.net)
Tonsillectomy May Increase Costs Without Benefits In Some Children Nov 21, 2007
20, 2007) A Dutch study suggests that among children with mild or moderate symptoms of throat infections, surgery to remove the tonsils may be more expensive but not necessarily more beneficial than watchful waiting, according to a report in the Archives of Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery ... A group of 151 children were randomly assigned to have surgery within six weeks, while 149 were assigned to watchful waiting, which involved close monitoring and additional interventions as necessary... (Science Daily)
Cell Insights May Predict Breast Cancer's Spread Nov 20, 2007
Less than an estimated 5 percent of women choose "watchful waiting" in lieu of a surgical intervention, Tlsty said ... Consequently, some women unknowingly are overtreated by having a mastectomy, and others are undertreated if they chose a course of watchful waiting rather than surgical intervention, Tlsty added. (MEDLINEplus)
Alzheimer's Patients Unresponsive to Antipsychotics Nov 17, 2007
" The total average monthly costs were $1,023 for the placebo group, the report indicates, compared with $1,118 for olanzapine, $1,215 for quetiapine, and $1,092 for risperidone. "As this study and others have shown, these drugs may offer little clinical efficacy overall when prescribed to patients for agitation and psychosis associated with Alzheimer's disease and showed no overall health economic or effectiveness benefits compared with a strategy that begins with watchful waiting," the authors... (MEDLINEplus)
Biomarkers Predict Risk For Invasive Breast Cancer Years Before The Tumor Develops Nov 14, 2007
In the absence of this new information, the researchers said, women diagnosed with DCIS today are often offered a gamut of treatment options that extend from a full mastectomy to watchful waiting. A majority of women usually opt for a lumpectomy with or without additional treatments such as radiation, hormonal therapy or chemotherapy. (Science Daily)
Prostate Cancer Treatment Options Nov 10, 2007
The doctor may recommend surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or watchful waiting. Surgery offers a potential cure for men with localized, stage I or stage II prostate cancer. (Suite101.com)
Four Pinocchios for Recidivist Rudy Nov 8, 2007
Mitt Romney says that Hillary Clinton is planning a government takeover of the health care system. Has he got his facts right. (Washington Post)
Cancer Treatment: Radiation Seed Implant Decreases Risk Of Death Over Watchful Waiting Nov 4, 2007
3, 2007) Prostate cancer patients cut their risk of dying of the disease in half when they receive radiation seed implants (brachytherapy) to treat their cancer, compared to those who don't receive active treatment (watchful waiting/active surveillance), within six months from being diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, according to a new study ... Watchful waiting/active surveillance, also called observation, is an option for prostate cancer patients where doctors monitor the cancer through... (Science Daily)
- REVIEW: 'American Gangster' Nov 2, 2007
Washington is also expert at conveying the watchful waiting in Lucas, the man who took his time after Bumpy Johnson's death in 1968 to understand the power structure in criminal Harlem and figure out how to work the area's heroin traffic to his advantage. Bumpy, he notes, was rich, but "he wasn't white-man wealthy," and this becomes Lucas' goal. (Los Angeles Times)
Fears About Complications Shouldn't Drive Antibiotic Prescribing, Study Finds Oct 30, 2007
This view is reiterated in an accompanying BMJ editorial by researchers at the University of Antwerp, who say that most infections can be managed by watchful waiting. Adapted from materials provided by. (Science Daily)
Ban Kids' Cough, Cold Meds FDA Says Oct 20, 2007
"Watchful waiting for the normal body defenses to restore health is an appropriate and safe management strategy for the healthy child with the common cold," said Jackson Allen, adding that treatment can mask the symptoms of more serious ailments like asthma. Previous Stories. (Click2Houston, TX)
Meds: More Prostate Patients Living Oct 11, 2007
For men with prostate cancer, surgery may offer a better chance for survival than other standard treatments, such as watchful waiting, radiation or hormone therapy, a new study suggests ... In the study, published in the Oct. 8 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers at Geneva University in Switzerland reviewed the medical records of 844 patients diagnosed with localized, early-stage prostate cancer between 1989 and 1998: 158 patients received prostatectomy, or surgical removal... (Time.com)
Surgery Found Best for Survival in Localized Prostate Cancer Oct 10, 2007
Explain to interested patients that the results of this study favor prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer over radiation therapy, watchful waiting, and hormone therapy, but it came from an observational study with those basic limitations ... Compared with patients who had a prostatectomy, those given radiation therapy and those managed with watchful waiting had approximately twice the increased risk of dying of the disease multiadjusted hazard ratio, 2 ... 8) for watchful waiting,... (MedPage Today)
Surgery hikes odds of surviving prostate cancer Oct 9, 2007
Study: Patients who opt for watchful waiting likelier to die after 10 years ... Men with prostate cancer generally have a number of options ranging from doing nothing so-called "watchful waiting" since the cancer can be slow to develop to radiation therapy and removal of the gland ... But after 10 years, "patients treated with radiotherapy or watchful waiting had a significantly increased risk of death from prostate cancer compared with patients who underwent prostatectomy (removal... (MSNBC -- Health)
Prostatectomy Boosts Survival Rates Oct 9, 2007
Of those men, 158 received prostatectomy, or surgery to remove all or part of the prostate; 205 had radiation treatment (radiotherapy); 378 chose watchful waiting, which entails active follow-up and treatment if the disease progresses; 72 underwent hormone therapy; and 31 had another type of therapy ... At 10 years, patients treated with radiotherapy or watchful waiting had a significantly increased risk of death from prostate cancer compared with patients who underwent prostatectomy, the... (Newsmax)
Surviving prostate cancer: one man's journey Oct 2, 2007
Standard methods of treatment include watchful waiting for early stage prostate cancer that has not spread and has a slow growth rate, surgery to remove the prostate and nearby lymph nodes, and radiation therapy. Frank's story. (Lake Country Reporter, WI)
Men okay with prostate cancer surveillance: study Sep 29, 2007
With active surveillance, or "watchful waiting," patients with early prostate tumors are monitored regularly and only treated if their cancer progresses. "Our study found that men on active surveillance were no more likely to have anxiety and depression than those who were receiving, or had received, immediate treatment," study chief Dr. Katriina L. Whitaker told Reuters Health. (Scientific American)
