The Oncology Network of Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta and CPO Piemonte launched in 2015 the first research project and intervention in Italy of active surveillance at the population level through the study START (active surveillance or radical treatment the diagnosis for low-risk prostate cancers), achieved thanks to the contribution of the Regione Piemonte and the Compagnia di San Paolo.

The study, involving all structures of urology and radiation therapy of Oncology Network, aims to analyze the effectiveness, safety and quality of life in groups of patients who have chosen different ways of treatment prostate cancer at low risk.

So far we enrolled about 250 patients and 75% of these, provided that proper information and discussion about the benefits and risks of different choices, decided to be included in the group receiving active surveillance.

Prostate cancer has become the most common cancer in men, especially for the diffusion with PSA tests, and every year in Piedmont there are about 3500 new cases. However, a significant proportion of these tumors are diagnosed in a localized stage and at low risk and can remain asymptomatic for a long time (even a lifetime).

For these tumors are different possible therapeutic modalities which include, in addition to the diagnosis radical treatment (surgery or radiation), even the so-called active surveillance. With the active surveillance is possible, through close monitoring, detect promptly any situations of aggravation of the disease in order to intervene with more radical treatments only in these cases, or in response to a possible reconsideration by the patient.

Active surveillance offers the possibility to delay, or avoid altogether, an invasive intervention, reducing the risk of side effects (such as urinary incontinence and sexual impotence). Active surveillance, already quite widespread abroad (eg. In the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Scandinavian countries etc.), For about ten years is spreading in Italy, thanks to the participation of several centers in the international project Prias (Prostate cancer research international: active surveillance).

Participation in the study is of great value for the community and for all patients with low-risk prostate cancer, because on one hand provides very useful information to improve the quality of care and assistance, on the other helps people to take more informed decisions between different treatment options.

On 2 February p.v. It will take place in Turin, a public meeting of the official presentation of the study, its progress, the initial results and to update evidence about the care of prostate cancer at low risk.