title: Initial management of low-risk localized prostate cancer in the UK: analysis of the British Association of Urological Surgeons Cancer Registry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to assess the patterns of care for low-risk localized prostate cancer. Management of this condition is highly controversial, with a range of treatment options, but there are no published UK data.
  
  
  METHODS
  data from the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) Cancer Registry were linked to the UK Association of Cancer registries postcode directory. The demographic and clinical characteristics, and the initial management of men diagnosed with low-risk localized prostate cancer in the UK between 2000 and 2006 were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 43,322 cases of localized prostate cancer were recorded in the BAUS Registry between 2000 and 2006, of which 8861 (20%) met the criteria for low-risk disease. The proportion classified as low risk ranged from 16% in 2000 to 21% in 2006. The proportion of men with low-risk disease opting for 'watchful waiting' increased from 0% to 39% over the same period. Treatment choice was associated with socio-economic status. For example, radical prostatectomy was chosen by 34% of patients in the most affluent quintile, compared with 19% in the most deprived quintile (P= 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the management of low-risk localized prostate cancer in the UK has changed markedly in recent years, and contrasts with that in the USA. The association observed between socio-economic status and choice of treatment deserves further study.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: Gerard P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: McVey
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McPhail
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McIntosh
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gillatt
authors.forename: Chris C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000191:economics*; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000191:economics*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000191:economics*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012042:Registries; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D057832:Watchful Waiting / Q000191:economics*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents