Dr. Benson on Extensive Biopsies for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

Mitchell Benson, MD, the Herbert and Florence Irving Professor at Columbia University Medical Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, discusses extensive biopsies in low-risk patients with prostate cancer.

According to a recent study, 30% of low-risk patients who underwent a more extensive biopsy were found to not be good candidates for ongoing active surveillance. Therefore, it is of a great value to confirm that these patients are indeed low-risk.

Benson explains that intermediate-risk patients are already known to not be ideal candidates for ongoing active surveillance. However, in this subset, physicians are assessing comorbidities and other reasons, based upon their life expectancy, for which active surveillance may be an appropriate strategy.