Cancers are unpredictable and can be either containable or completely wreck your health. To make cancer treatments and research better, healthcare professionals use stages and characteristics, making it easier for us to categorize and identify how far along the disease is. However, recent research has been questioning our stance on this particular cancer, saying it could be worse than what we had believed. A recent study has found that a specific type of prostate tumor, called Grade Group one (GG1), might not be as harmless as once believed. While many doctors consider these tumors to be at low risk of spreading and recommend monitoring them, the new research suggests the true risk might be higher. In fact, the study indicates that up to 30% of these cases could be more serious than doctors think, and a closer look could save lives. Challenge with Current Practices For years, men diagnosed with a GG1 tumor were often told to skip immediate treatment and instead undergo "active surveillance." This means they were regularly checked with blood tests and follow-up biopsies to see if the tumor was growing. However, researchers point out a key problem: a single biopsy might miss more aggressive cancer cells located in a different part of the prostate. This could lead to a patient being undertreated, which could have serious consequences later on if the cancer grows. The authors believe that relying on just one biopsy to decide on treatment is a flawed approach. What Are Low-Grade Prostate Tumors?According to a 2022 review published in the Urological Research Society, the lowest grade of prostate cancer, called ISUP Grade Group 1 (GG1), grows very slowly. Because it is so harmless, some experts have suggested that we should stop calling it "cancer" at all. This has been done before for similar low-risk tumors in the bladder and thyroid. The review summarized that even though GG1 tumors have some characteristics of cancer, their behavior is much more like a harmless, non-cancerous growth. The authors suggest that renaming GG1 prostate cancer could have several benefits: It could help prevent unnecessary treatments.It would reduce a patient's fear and stress.It could lower the financial costs for patients and the healthcare system.Study's Findings Challenging the view of previous studies, researchers sought to get a clearer understanding. To get a more accurate picture, the research team looked at data from over 300,000 men. Among those who were initially diagnosed with GG1 tumors, the team used additional factors like PSA levels and tumor size, which can be better indicators of risk. By combining all this information, they found that a significant number of men—more than 18,000—were actually at higher risk and should have received more aggressive treatment like radiation or surgery. This data strongly suggests that as many as 30% of GG1 diagnoses might be underestimated, leaving many men without the full treatment they need. Call for Change The authors of the study are urging doctors to reconsider how they evaluate GG1 tumors. They emphasize that a "low grade" diagnosis from a biopsy isn't the same as a guaranteed "low risk" for the patient. They believe it's a doctor's responsibility to use all available data to accurately assess a man's individual risk. The goal is to ensure that those who need treatment get it, while still safely recommending active surveillance for the men who are truly at low risk.