Medicare data show low adherence to active surveillance monitoring protocols
Retrospective · Urol Oncol · 2026-11-03. Number 4 in the UrologyWatch Top 5 for November 3, 2026.
In a SEER-Medicare cohort of 11,597 men starting active surveillance, 45.3% met monitoring criteria in year 1, falling to 10.7% through year 3 among the 7,476 men still under surveillance, when repeat biopsy was required; adherence did not significantly improve over the study period.
Why it matters: Raises the question of whether real-world AS monitoring gaps could affect outcomes, though claims data cannot capture clinical rationale for deviations.
Limitation: Claims-based definitions of adherence may not capture clinically appropriate deviations from rigid monitoring schedules.
Source: Urol Oncol · PubMed 42971864 · DOI 10.1016/j.urolonc.2026.10.008
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