Tests that measure the activity of certain genes and other cancer-related biomarkers can aid in that decision.

One such test, called Oncotype DX, measures the activity of 17 prostate cancer-associated genes in a biopsy sample. A low score on the test suggests that a man's cancer is slow-growing, which makes active surveillance a reasonable option. Higher scores are reflective of more aggressive cancers that might be considered for earlier interventions, since without treatment, these cancers have a greater chance of spreading or becoming symptomatic.

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