Is active surveillance for Stage I prostate cancer the right choice?

Active surveillance can be a thoughtful approach for low-risk prostate cancer, and it's great that you're reaching out to learn from others' real experiences with the monitoring process and managing the emotional aspects. Many community members have valuable insights about living with active surveillance - from practical tips about scheduling and preparing for appointments to strategies for staying positive between check-ups - so hopefully others will share their perspectives to help guide your decision-making process.

I completely agree - hearing from people who've actually lived through active surveillance can give you such valuable real-world perspective, and you might also want to ask about how they've handled family discussions and kept loved ones informed throughout the process.

I had a similar diagnosis and opted for monitoring after the biopsy. My Gleason score was 3+3. So, monitored every 6 months via PSA testing, for a year and a half. There really isn’t any “daily “ monitoring. My PSA went up a little, not a lot, each test. I sit on a board of directors where I am the 5th male out of 8 that has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Two have passed away from cancer. I say that to indicate my anxiety level was higher than normal because of my experience. The two that died opted for treatment other than surgery (chemotherapy and radiation). The other two, prior to my diagnosis, had surgery. One is 20 years post surgery. So, after a year and a half of monitoring, lots of research on prostatectomy surgery and post surgery issues, and heartfelt discussions with my spouse, I decided to go to surgery. The post surgery lab analysis showed more cancer than the original biopsy captured and changed the Gleason score to 3+4. I am now 4 months post surgery. Recovery is a daily journey, but going well. Thankfully I have a very supportive wife, and family which is a blessing. My first post op PSA was <0.02. Will be monitoring every 3 months for awhile but am told any reoccurrence of cancer is very unlikely. Hope this is helpful.