A Phase II, Prospective Study of MRI in the Reclassification of Men Considering Active Surveillance in Prostate Cancer

Detailed Summary

Some men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer do not require immediate treatment. Rather, they can be followed closely with regular physical exams, blood work and repeated biopsies of the prostate. If the prostate cancer is becoming more aggressive, curative treatment can be offered at that time. This strategy of delaying treatment until necessary is called active surveillance in prostate cancer. Active surveillance is a way of monitoring prostate cancer which aims to avoid or delay unnecessary treatment in men with less aggressive cancer. Prostate cancer can be slow growing and, for many men, the disease may never progress or cause any symptoms. In other words, many men with prostate cancer will never need any treatment. Treatments for prostate cancer may cause side effects which can affect your quality of life. By monitoring the cancer with regular tests, you can avoid or delay these side effects. Active surveillance is generally suitable for men with low risk early stage prostate cancer that is contained within the prostate gland (localized prostate cancer). If doctors had a better way of identifying who might be best suited for this approach, it would likely become more appealing for more men. In this study, the investigators are looking at how accurate a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is at identifying high-risk prostate cancer, which might make a man a poor candidate for active surveillance. To do this, the investigators are collecting data from the MRI scan of men and comparing it to a trans-rectal biopsy performed following the scan. The results of this study will help inform doctors how accurate the MRI is in identifying men who should not be on active surveillance.

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