Active surveillance vs watchful waiting: what is the difference?

Talking it through at our Marietta Clinic

Most men weighing these two paths meet with one of our urologists at our Marietta Clinic & Surgery Center, though follow-up visits can often happen in Canton or Jasper. We'll go over your biopsy report line by line, including the grade and how much tissue was involved, and ask about your other health conditions and what matters most to you. Bring a family member if you'd like a second set of ears.

How our urologists approach monitoring

Monitoring is an active plan, not a decision to ignore the cancer. We'll lay out how often PSA tests, exams and any repeat imaging or biopsy would happen, and what kind of change would lead us to recommend treatment. If your priorities shift along the way, the plan can shift with them.

Reasons to call between checkups

• New trouble passing urine or a stream that suddenly weakens
• Blood in the urine or semen
• Bone pain that doesn't settle
• Questions after reading a new lab result online

Men across Cobb, Cherokee, Paulding and Pickens counties reach us at (678) 344-8900.

Who usually fits each path

Watchful waiting tends to be discussed with older men or those with serious health conditions, where the goal is comfort and treating symptoms if they appear. Surveillance is aimed at men with low-risk cancer who would want curative treatment if the disease changed.

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