A Significant Percentages of Older Prostate Cancer Patients are Being Overtreated

An increasing percentage of older men with intermediate-risk and high-risk prostate cancers are undergoing treatments that carry risks of side effects that can significantly reduce the health-related Quality of Life (hrQoL) without extending life. This trend, observed by researchers at Cedars-Sinai, is problematic because these men may not have life expectancies that would allow them to receive the benefits of more aggressive treatments. Their conclusion is based on results from a study supported in part by VA Merit Review and the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service, using resources and facilities at the VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI).