PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA — New research published in the July 2025 issue of JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network offers encouraging news for men diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer. The study shows that individuals treated according to NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology® (NCCN Guidelines®) have a high likelihood of surviving their cancer and living out their full life expectancy.
Analyzing data from 62,839 men in Sweden diagnosed between 2000 and 2020, researchers found that more than 90% of those with nonmetastatic low-risk prostate cancer lived out their life expectancy without dying from the disease. Even for those with higher-risk, nonmetastatic prostate cancer and longer life expectancy, survival probability exceeded 65%.
The study categorized patients based on risk levels, life expectancy (greater than three years), and adherence to NCCN Guidelines®. The findings were striking: men with low- and intermediate-risk cancer were six times more likely to die of other causes than from prostate cancer, while even those with high-risk cancer were twice as likely to die from other causes.
“Our data support adherence to guideline recommendations for treatment of prostate cancer,” said lead researcher Pietro Scilipoti, MD, from Uppsala University in Sweden and IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Italy. “If guideline-recommended treatment is used, most people with prostate cancer will live for many years after diagnosis. That includes active surveillance as an excellent treatment strategy for appropriately selected people.”
The research leveraged comprehensive records from the National Prostate Cancer Register of Sweden, capturing critical data such as Gleason scores, clinical staging, treatment types, and comorbidities. Life expectancy was estimated based on age and overall health at diagnosis, and mortality data were drawn from the national Cause of Death Register.
“This study offers a big sigh of relief for many men facing a prostate cancer diagnosis,” said Ahmad Shabsigh, MD, of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, who serves on the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Prostate Cancer but was not involved in this research. “It reveals that with NCCN Guidelines-recommended treatment, you’re significantly more likely to die from something else—up to six times more likely—even if your cancer is high-risk.”
Perhaps most notably, for patients with low-risk prostate cancer who often opt for active surveillance instead of immediate treatment, the 30-year mortality risk from prostate cancer was just about 11%. This finding underscores the strength of evidence-based treatment approaches and highlights the importance of focusing on overall health rather than just the cancer itself.
The study reinforces the critical role of clinical guidelines in shaping effective, personalized care plans and provides reassurance to patients and physicians alike about the long-term outcomes of carefully managed prostate cancer treatment.
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