Recent research suggests that some men who receive a prostate cancer diagnosis may be seeking out treatment options that are more aggressive than what they actually need.
Prostate cancer has become more treatable in recent years due to advances in medical technology. However, the American Cancer Society reports that in 2010, there will be more than 200,000 new cases diagnosed, along with more than 32,000 deaths.
According to a new study appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a significant number of men with low-risk forms of the disease have undergone aggressive treatment despite the potential side effects that may present themselves.
“It is clear from our current study that men are choosing aggressive forms of treatment when they may not need to. This is especially concerning for older men, as previous studies done by our team show excellent disease-specific survival for men with low-risk cancer following conservative management,” said Dr. Grace Lu-Yao, senior author of the study.
Prostate cancer is still a common killer among U.S. men, and its effects have been felt across most age groups and demographics. Along with staying healthy to lower the risk of cancer, another wise step is to invest in a life insurance policy to protect loved ones financially.