The panel recognizes that prostate cancer represents a true spectrum of disease and that not all men diagnosed with prostate cancer require treatment. The panel believes that maximizing the detection of early prostate cancer will increase the detection of both indolent (slower-growing) and aggressive (faster-growing) prostate cancers. The challenge is to minimize immediate treatment (overtreatment) of indolent cancers by accurately characterizing the biology of the detected cancer. This guideline highlights several techniques designed to improve the identification of significant cancer while avoiding the detection of indolent disease. Identification and selective treatment of aggressive cancers should result in significant decreases in morbidity and mortality while limiting adverse effects on quality of life. The NCCN Guidelines for Prostate Cancer Early Detection do not address the treatment of prostate cancer. See the NCCN Guidelines for Prostate Cancer for prostate cancer treatment recommendations. It is the intention of the panel that these guidelines be linked. Specifically, early detection strategies that do not recognize the importance of refined and selective treatment may result in harm.The guidelines are specifically for men opting to participate in an early detection program (after receiving the appropriate counseling on the pros and cons). It is the majority opinion of the Prostate Cancer Early Detection Panel members that there is a growing population of men currently being diagnosed with prostate cancer who can, and should, be monitored for their disease rather than immediately treated as presented in the NCCN Guidelines for Prostate Cancer. The guidelines for when to start and stop screening, at what intervals to conduct screening, and when to biopsy were recommended by most panel members, but a consensus was not reached. The guidelines are continuously in a state of evolution, and the panel will incorporate changes based on new evidence and expert opinion and provide a rating of consensus for each recommendation. See Baseline Evaluation (PROSD-2)Printed by Siyu Yan on 6/23/2021 9:33:19 PM. For personal use only. Not approved for distribution. Copyright © 2021 National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Inc., All Rights Reserved.