Figure 2. Prostate cancer is heterogeneous in nature, with a spectrum of disease ranging from indolent to highly lethal.

Accordingly, options for management range from conservative approaches such as watchful waiting, to a more aggressive approach with immediate definitive treatment. Active surveillance is an accepted management strategy for favourable-risk cancers. Approaches to active surveillance vary from non-intensive in men with indolent-appearing cancers who wish to minimize the morbidity of monitoring and potential treatment to a more intensive approach in others who wish to minimize the risk of unfavourable-risk cancer remaining undetected.