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CompletedNCT00490763Updated Apr 4, 2022

Active Surveillance in Prostate Cancer

An observational study in Prostate Cancer, sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to male participants. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2022-04-04.

Sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
1,139
Sex
Male
01

Study summary

The goal of this clinical research study is to find out if men who have a type of prostate cancer that has been classified as "low risk" can safely not be treated for the disease. Doctors want to know if patients with "low risk" cancer can avoid or postpone therapy and the related side effects and still live as long as patients who immediately receive therapy.

This is an investigational study. There are no medications used in this trial.

About 1,000 patients will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at MD Anderson.

Read the detailed description

You have an early stage of prostate cancer that can be treated effectively with surgery or radiation. If you choose to take part in this study, you will be agreeing to receive only active surveillance. Active surveillance is an investigational way to manage low-stage small volume prostate cancer. While on active surveillance, you will have no treatment for the prostate cancer. However, you will have repeated Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) tests, physical exams, and other testing to detect when the cancer is becoming a greater risk which may require you to begin treatment.

If you agree to participate in this study, you will not have standard therapy for prostate cancer. Your diagnosis will be confirmed as being of low risk by tests at MD Anderson. Blood will be drawn for PSA tests at the beginning of the study and every 6 months to monitor your cancer.

You will have a biopsy of the prostate at the beginning of the study. Additional prostate biopsies will be performed at your first repeat biopsy at Year 1, and when a doctor thinks it is necessary.

You will have digital rectal examination every 6 months to see if your doctor can feel any prostate nodules. You will have a transrectal ultrasonography every 12 months to see if your doctor can detect any abnormalities in the prostate.

Additionally, you will fill out 7 surveys at the beginning of the study and again every 6 months about how you are coping with the disease and the quality of your life. Each survey will take 5 to 10 minutes to complete.

While you are on study, if an exam or test results show that your disease is getting worse, you will be given the opportunity to have treatment to remove the cancer. If you do choose to receive treatment, you will be taken off study and continue to receive standard follow-up.

Long-Term Follow-Up:

Every 12 months, the study staff will review your medical record or you will be called or e-mailed and asked how you are doing. If you are called, the call would only last a few minutes.

This is an investigational study. About 1,000 patients will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at MD Anderson.

02

Conditions studied

  • Prostate Cancer

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Keywords

  • Prostate Cancer
  • Active Surveillance
  • Prostate Specific Antigen
  • Questionnaire
  • Survey
03

In context

Prostatic Neoplasms

6,370 studies on the registry are indexed under Prostatic Neoplasms; 1,400 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 1,139 is above the median of 200 across 1,181 observational studies indexed under Prostatic Neoplasms.

Browse Prostatic Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is the lead sponsor of 2,999 studies on the registry; 581 are open to participants now.

Of its 599 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 402 (67%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
Male
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

Study participants with low-risk prostate cancer who choose to undergo active surveillance.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Patients will have histologic proof of adenocarcinoma of the prostate within six months of study entry.
  2. Patients must agree to have repeat extended 11-core multisite biopsy (sextant locations, midline, and 2 cores each from the left and right anterior horn) of the prostate at study entry. A baseline prostate biopsy is not indicated if a repeat biopsy following the extended biopsy scheme (at least 10 biopsy cores) was performed at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) within 6 months of study entry.
  3. Patients who have clinically localized cancer defined by pathologic and PSA criteria to be very low-risk/low-risk, patients with clinically localized cancer [not low-risk] who have refused early intervention or chosen active surveillance as a management option, and patients with clinically localized cancer who are precluded from local therapy because of comorbidities.
  4. Patients must agree to comply with the surveillance schedule.
  5. Non-English speaking patients may participate in the study, but they will not be required to complete the surveys.
  6. Patients must sign an informed consent indicating that they are aware of the investigational nature of this study.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Active noncutaneous malignancy at any site.
  2. Prior radiation therapy for treatment of the primary tumor.
  3. Planned concomitant immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy while on protocol.
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
1,139 participants (actual)

Groups and cohorts

  • Active Surveillance

    Patients with low-risk prostate cancer who choose to undergo active surveillance.

    Behavioral: Survey

Interventions

  • BehavioralSurvey

    7 surveys at the beginning of the study and again every 6 months about diet, coping with the disease, and quality of life.

    Also known as: Questionnaire

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Time to Disease Progression of Asymptomatic Patients with Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer

    Primary end point of the study is time to disease progression, where progression is defined by pathologic criteria and/or an increase in tPSA value.

    Time frame: 5 years

07

Study locations

1 site
  • University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, Texas 77030, United States
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References and documents

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 4, 2022, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00490763
Lead sponsor
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Collaborators
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 25, 2007
Start date
Feb 13, 2006
Primary completion
Sep 6, 2021
Completion
Sep 6, 2021
Last update
Apr 4, 2022

Study contacts

Christopher Logothetis, MD
principal investigator · M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2022. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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