Early prostate cancer and surgery

Men in New York may be interested to learn that surgery to treat early-stage prostate cancer provides little benefits. This is according to a 20-year study that was managed by the Minneapolis Veterans Administration Health Care System.

The study evaluated the similarities of the results from men with early prostate cancer who were treated with surgery and those who underwent observation. The men who were observed only received treatment if they exhibited difficult symptoms such as bone pain or urinary complications, which could indicate that the cancer was progressing. Because early-state prostate cancer progresses at a slow rate and rarely produces symptoms, several of the men in the observation group received no treatment.

According to a co-author of the study, the results will help to enhance treatment for prostate cancer. Almost 70 percent of patients who have been recently diagnosed with the condition are in the early stages. This means that the cancer has not yet spread beyond the prostate gland, and while tumors may be present, they are not aggressive. The researcher also stated that the findings may guide doctors away from using radiation or surgery on patients with early-state prostate cancer.

The American Cancer Society has prostate cancer ranked as the second most frequently occurring cancer in men. Almost 161,360 men will receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer in 2017, and 26,730 will die from the disease.

An attorney who practices medical malpractice law may assist clients who received unnecessary medical treatment or treatment that worsened their condition. Medical professionals and the facility in which they work may also be held liable for other types of negligent medical treatment, including misreading test results and failing to diagnose a potentially fatal condition such as cancer.