What are the advantages and disadvantages of Active Surveillance/ “Watchful Waiting?”

There are two advantages for utilizing this treatment option – low cost and no immediate complications.    
The risk of active surveillance is that the cancer could grow and spread to other parts of the body between follow-ups, making it more difficult to treat. Not all prostate cancers require active treatment, and not all prostate cancers are life threatening. The decision to implement active treatment is one a man should discuss in detail with a urologists to determine whether active treatment is necessary, or whether surveillance may be an option.