Physician variation in management of low-risk prostate cancer: a population-based cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Up-front treatment of older men with low-risk prostate cancer can cause morbidity without clear survival benefit; however, most such patients receive treatment instead of observation. The impact of physicians on the management approach is uncertain.

Objective

To determine the impact of physicians on the management of low-risk prostate cancer with up-front treatment vs observation.

Design, setting, and participants

Retrospective cohort of men 66 years and older with low-risk prostate cancer diagnosed from 2006 through 2009. Patient and tumor characteristics were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registries. The diagnosing urologist, consulting radiation oncologist, cancer-directed therapy, and comorbid medical conditions we

SUBMITTER: Hoffman KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4372187 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature