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Researchers, in a new study, have highlighted the important role a diagnosing urologist plays in whether older men with low-risk prostate cancer receive treatment for their disease, and if so, the type of treatment they receive subsequently. 

The study sought to examine why active surveillance is underused in this patient population. The active surveillance is a management program for low-risk disease, which includes repeat PSAs, prostate exams and biopsies. 

If statistics are to be believed, 233,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year, making it one of the most common non-skin cancer in men. 

"What's striking was just how much variation exists in managing prostate cancer, with the diagnosing physician playing as much a role, if not more of a role, than accepted patient factors that impact surveillance use," said Karen Hoffman, M.D., assistant professor in Radiation Oncology and lead author of the study, in the press release. 

"Primary care physicians play a key role because they refer patients to urologists for elevated PSA levels and prostate biopsies. Increasing transparency could lead to selecting physicians more open to surveillance," Hoffman added.

Researchers however noted several limitations to the study including shifting practice patterns that may influence treatment decisions and the ability to measure certain factors impacting treatment choices. 

The study has been published in the JAMA Internal Medicine.