Close monitoring of prostate cancer by a physician instead of immediate treatment. Also called expectant management.
Following the patient closely and postponing aggressive therapy unless symptoms or other signs of disease progress. Watchful waiting is a treatment option for both an enlarged prostate and early-stage prostate cancer.
Forgoing aggressive therapies unless symptoms or other signs of disease progress. Watchful waiting with frequent monitoring may be a treatment option for both benign prostatic hyperplasia and early-stage prostate cancer. Also known as observation or surveillance.
period of time — after diagnosis of a disease — during which no active treatments are pursued; rather the condition is monitored at frequent intervals
Closely monitoring a patient's condition but withholding therapy until the sign and symptom appear or change. Also called observation.
The doctor sees the patient regularly to keep track of the condition, talk about any changes in the condition, and make sure symptoms are being relieved.
Active observation and regular monitoring of a patient without actual treatment.
Instead of active treatment for prostate cancer, the doctor may suggest close monitoring. This may be a reasonable choice for older men with small tumors that might grow very slowly. If the situation changes, active treatment can be started.
careful follow-up testing without immediate treatment
an approach used for localized, slow-growing prostate cancer involving regular checkups instead of immediate treatment.
An approach where no immediate medical, surgical, or radiation therapy is given—patients are followed closely to make sure the cancer does not progress. Some slow-growing lung tumors are treated with watchful waiting.
Closely monitoring a patient's condition but withholding treatment until symptoms appear or change. Also called observation.
The person's condition is closely monitored, but treatment does not begin until symptoms appear or change. Also called observation.
Watchful waiting, also referred to as observation or masterly inactivity, is an approach to a medical problem in which time is allowed to pass before further testing or therapy is pursued. Often watchful waiting is recommended in situations with a high likelihood of self-resolution or situations where the risks of a therapy potentially outweigh its benefits.