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Most prostate cancers grow very slowly and don’t affect life expectancy.
If you are over 75 when you get your cancer, or if you are younger but your cancer is very slow growing, you may be more likely to die of old age or another illness than of your prostate cancer – so your doctor may suggest an approach called active monitoring.
This means that you can carry on as normal, but your doctor will check you at intervals to find out how you are, and to see whether your cancer has grown. S/he will use this information to decide whether a different type of treatment might now be better for you.
Prostate cancer treatments such as surgery and radiotherapy can have side effects – for example reduced interest in sex, difficulty in getting an erection, and urinary problems. Without these types of treatment you will be spared the side effects, and may be able to enjoy many years of reasonably trouble-free life.
