“Renaming the lowest-risk prostate cancers cuts down on overly aggressive treatment.” – Sumathi Reddi.

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, a doctor’s bedside manner suffers when they get right to the point, so some are not choosing to scare men with “The” word. A change in normal diagnosis has already taken place in certain other forms of cervical, thyroid, and bladder cancers: all having been reclassified as “Unlikely to spread.”

Since the word “cancer” engenders so much anxiety and fear, Laura Esserman, a professor of surgery and radiology, suggests low-risk breast cancer be renamed. Cancers are categorized in “grade groups” of 1-5 with 5 being the highest risk. Early detection is always best and advanced stages are more likely to be fatal, but now, according to Esserman, “Screenings can find a reservoir of disease that is less aggressive and some tumors may even go away on their own.”

Most people would prefer a militant treatment but sometimes “The treatment is worse than the cure.” There are always side effects but using a conservative approach on some cancers preserves the patient’s dignity while addressing any potential risk. A holistic approach will focus on surveillance, lifestyle modifications, and supportive therapies rather than relying solely on invasive treatments.

I have always been one to “Call it as I see it” and being oblivious doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Renaming low-grade cancers promotes a more patient-centered model of care that prioritizes quality of life and minimizes radical medical interventions.