Who Is A Good Candidate For Watchful Waiting? Who Is A Good Candidate For Watchful Waiting?

Dr. David Chen answers the question: 'Good Candidates For Watchful Waiting?'

ByABC News
November 19, 2008, 12:19 PM

March 16, 2009 -- Question: Who is a good candidate for watchful waiting?

Answer: Watchful waiting, or active surveillance is a good treatment strategy for men who have what we would consider a favorable risk cancer -- one that we believe is going to grow slowly and perhaps not cause a problem ever -- and more likely be useful in a patient who is older and may not have a 20 or 30 year life expectancy ahead of them. And that could be because of age alone or because of associated medical problems.