The time elapsed between a diagnosis of localized prostate cancer and surgery does not appear to have a large effect on the risk of cancer recurrence, according to a study. However, doctors say it's best to avoid undue delays, Reuters reported. Men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer must educate themselves about the disease and the available treatment options. This can take time, often leading to delays in treatment. Waiting lists for surgery may also delay treatment. Whether a delay in therapy for localized prostate cancer has an adverse impact on outcome is the subject of debate, Dr. Andrew J. Vickers and colleagues from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City note in the journal Cancer. Using data from 3149 patients who had undergone prostate surgery, they developed a mathematical model to evaluate whether the time from biopsy to removal of the diseased prostate can predict recurrence of the disease. "We found no clear evidence that an increased time between biopsy and surgery was associated with a significantly poorer outcome," the authors report. "This suggests that any effect of a treatment delay is moderate, at least for a time period up to 6 to 12 months." --More 21 37 Local Time 18 37 GMT
