Watchful waiting (surveillance) is a period in the treatment of some types of NHL in which you are not having treatment. It does not mean that your doctors are giving up or refusing to give you treatment.
Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach to treatment. You may have regular checkups and tests, but you won't have treatment unless your condition or symptoms get worse. Watchful waiting may be an option for conditions that progress slowly or that may improve on their own. It lets you avoid or postpone treatments that may have more risks than benefits.
Watchful waiting may also be called active surveillance, observation, or expectant management.
Watchful waiting is often as effective as having treatment for some types of NHL. Some people with slow-growing NHL may live a long time without symptoms.
During this time, you will:
There do not seem to be any risks involved in watchful waiting for some types of NHL when you are being watched closely by your doctor. If your lymphoma changes, other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be used to control your disease.
Watchful waiting may be an option for you if:
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