The term “active surveillance” conjures up images of police officers, FBI agents, and other safety personnel monitoring suspects in a secretive manner. But at Regional Cancer Care Associates, the term has a completely different meaning. If a cancer diagnosis is considered low-risk, active surveillance may be recommended as part of a patient’s treatment plan.
Active surveillance is part of a cancer treatment plan and qualifies as a form of expectant management: the process of monitoring early signs and symptoms of certain diseases. For patients with low-risk cancer diagnoses, our team of oncologists and specialists carefully analyze the disease’s progress. You may be an ideal candidate for active surveillance if:
If we determine the condition is worsening, we will recommend a more aggressive form of treatment, such as surgery, or a nonsurgical treatment, such as radiation therapy.
At Regional Cancer Care Associates, our active surveillance plan comprises state-of-the-art technology and an expert team of oncologists and specialists. At the time of diagnosis, we can determine if active surveillance is the best treatment option for your condition. From there, we will perform specific tests and examinations on a regular basis, which may include:
Compared to other cancer treatments, active surveillance can be extremely beneficial. For one, it is virtually noninvasive, as the only surgical aspect involves a routine biopsy. It can also delay other, more invasive treatments, in the process sparing patients from burdensome side effects and potential complications for as long as possible. But above all, active surveillance allows patients with cancer to maintain an ideal quality of life, as further action will only be taken if and when the disease worsens.
In addition, active surveillance has proven to be exceptionally advantageous for men with low-risk prostate cancer. That’s because about 50% of prostate cancer diagnoses are low-risk and are unlikely to spread. These cases won’t require aggressive forms of treatment unless the cancer begins to worsen.
Active surveillance allows many patients to live a normal life while specialists keep a keen eye on their cancer’s progress. Some may never require more advanced forms of treatment. But if the cancer does worsen, our patients can rest assured that they’re in the best possible hands. Because active surveillance allows us to monitor cancer from the start, we’re able to constantly analyze the disease’s effects and progress to determine our next steps – before symptoms get worse.
For more information about Regional Cancer Care Associates, contact one of our locations in Connecticut, Maryland, or New Jersey today.
With care centers in New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts and the Washington, D.C., area, thousands of patients each year have come to rely on the expertise, dedication and compassion of Regional Cancer Care Associates.
More than 80 medical oncologists and hematologists affiliated with Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) – one of the nation’s largest networks of oncology specialists — are on the frontlines of the fight against cancer in New Jersey, providing care to well over 100,000 people each year in 19 community-based practices across the Garden State.
The American Cancer Society will host its 43rd annual Diamond Ball Gala on November 24, 2024, at the Westmount Country Club in Woodland Park, NJ.
Regional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
