The ultimate choice of treatment should be based on shared decision making and individualized to the patient’s disease characteristics, his overall health, and his personal preferences. The disparity between prostate cancer incidence and mortality implies that many men may not benefit from definitive treatment of localized disease. For men with newly diagnosed low-risk prostate cancer, an active surveillance program represents a valid option that should be discussed. Active surveillance provides a monitored approach that can spare some men the potential risks of definitive treatment while selectively providing effective treatment for more aggressive cancers that warrant intervention.