The difference between active surveillance and watchful waiting:
[Active surveillance
This means regular, very close monitoring of the cancer so that the patient can be offered curative treatment if the cancer progresses. This is suitable for most men with low risk prostate cancer. Close monitoring is required, with PSAs, regular MRIs and sometimes repeat biopsies. Treatment (surgery, radiotherapy or brachytherapy) is offered if and when the cancer progresses.
Watchful waiting
This term is used to describe a non-intensive form of follow-up that rarely involves tests and relies more heavily on changes in a patient’s symptoms to identify if treatment is needed. This is a non-curative strategy for patients who have multiple comorbidities or a short life expectancy. Palliative treatment is only advised if the patient develops symptoms from the primary cancer or the metastases.]
https://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/gp-update/watchful-waiting-and-active-surveillance
I suspect that the insurance premium for someone on active surveillance would be much less than someone on watchful waiting.
I'm not a traveller and know nothing about travel insurance. However, because you're on active surveillance, you have been medically assessed as not being in immediate risk of cancer or likely to be in any immediate need of any treatment. Would the insurance company reject a claim for any other medical issue, because you'd not declared that you were being monitored for prostate cancer?
I'm a bit of a gambler, if the additional premium was extortionate, I'd not declare my inactive PCa. If I then drunkenly fell off of my hotel balcony or was attacked by a shark, I'd hope that they would still pay out. 🙂
Edited by member 04 Jul 2025 at 10:28
| Reason: Add link