For many people, hearing the word “cancer” is frightening. It often brings thoughts of aggressive disease, difficult treatments, and a life-threatening future.
However, doctors are now questioning whether the lowest-risk form of prostate cancer should continue to carry that label.
A new study led by researchers at UCLA suggests that changing the name of this very low-risk condition could reduce unnecessary treatment, encourage more men to get screened, and ultimately save thousands of lives.
The study was published in JAMA Oncology.
Prostate cancer develops in the prostate gland, which is part of the male reproductive system. It is one of the most common cancers in men worldwide.
Some prostate cancers grow quickly and can spread to other parts of the body, but others grow so slowly that they may never cause symptoms or shorten a person’s life.
The research focused on Grade Group 1 (GG1), also known as Gleason 6 prostate cancer.
A large body of evidence shows that this lowest-risk form does not spread to other parts of the body and usually does not become life-threatening unless a higher-grade cancer later develops.
Because of this, doctors generally recommend active surveillance instead of immediate treatment. Active surveillance involves regular PSA blood tests, MRI scans, and occasional biopsies to make sure the disease is not changing.
Even though treatment is usually unnecessary, up to 40% of men with GG1 still choose surgery or radiation. These treatments can cause long-term side effects such as urinary leakage, bowel problems, and sexual dysfunction. Simply being told they have cancer can also cause major anxiety and may even affect life insurance eligibility.
To study whether changing the name could improve care, researchers built a mathematical model using U.S. population data and information from previous clinical studies. They estimated that about 100,000 American men are diagnosed with GG1 every year.
The model predicted that removing the word “cancer” and describing GG1 as a precancerous condition would reduce fear about prostate cancer screening. More men might agree to PSA testing because they would worry less about being diagnosed with a condition that would never harm them.
According to the model, increased screening could prevent about 2,835 prostate cancer deaths each year. Even after considering the possibility that some patients might skip follow-up monitoring, the researchers estimated an overall reduction of nearly 2,400 prostate cancer deaths every year.
Dr. Scott Eggener from UCLA said medicine has changed disease names before when scientific knowledge improved. Similar changes have already occurred in some bladder, cervical, and thyroid conditions after researchers found that they posed very little danger.
The researchers emphasized that changing the name does not mean ignoring the condition. Men would still need regular monitoring because a more aggressive cancer could develop later.
This study has important strengths. It used one of the largest sets of available data and tested many different scenarios. However, it was based on a mathematical model rather than following real patients over time.
Future studies will need to determine whether changing the name truly changes patient behavior and improves health outcomes. Overall, the findings raise an important question about whether medical language should better reflect the actual risk of disease while reducing unnecessary fear and treatment.
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