Virtual Summit on the Future of Active Surveillance to be Hosted by a Coalition of Support and Advocacy Groups April 22nd
(The following is taken from Howard Wolinsky’s blog “The Active Surveillor.” Consider subscribing if you are interested in quality content about active surveillance.)
By Howard Wolinsky
Things have changed dramatically since I was diagnosed with low-risk Gleason 6 prostate cancer and went on active surveillance 12 years ago.
I underwent annual transrectal biopsies for five years. I was in the first patient cohort to undergo mpMRIs, and genetic and genomic testing wasn’t available.
Now, a small but growing number of doctors say Gleason 6 isn’t cancer. mpMRI is becoming the go-to procedure for monitoring. Some are using microultrasound. Patients are voting with their feet and prostates and shifting over to transperineal biopsies to avoid the risk of sepsis. Genetic tests are being used to uncover DNA defects such as BRCA 2 and using that information to make treatment decisions.
What’s next?
Two programs, from November and PCai/University of Martland, were held this winter to determine the best questions to ask about future directions for AS. I was fortunate to participate in both along with some of my colleagues from ASPI, AnCan and Prostate Cancer Support Canada, the Walnut Foundation in Toronto.
These groups plus EUROPA UOMO, a major European prostate health organization, Prostate Forum of Orange County and TheActive Surveillor.com are co-sponsoring the program at 11 a.m. Eastern April 22. Prostate Cancer Research Institute joined our ranks today.
The program is entitled “Your Voice in the Future of Active Surveillance. Register here: https://bit.ly/3ueT9bc
The program features leading figures in AS, including Dr. Laurence Klotz, who named the strategy 30 years ago; Dr. Peter Carroll and Dr. Peter Albertson, who helped develop AS; and European pioneers Dr. Ola Bratt and Dr. Chris Bangma. They will be among the featured speakers along with patient advocates and patients.
(Tony Crispino, patient rep, AUA)
Panelists and moderators now include Tony Crispino, president of The Us TOO chapter in Las Vegas and the patient rep to the American Urological Association, and Erick Briers, vice chairman of UOMO and the patient rep to the European Association of Urologists.
Erik Briers, patient rep, EAU
So sign up for the webinar. Why wait? https://bit.ly/3ueT9bc