Cryotherapy, also known as cryosurgery, is a treatment used to kill prostate cancer cells. It is best suited to those cancers that are confined to the prostate and is typically performed after several months of hormone therapy that serves to shrink the tumor, says the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Center. This treatment has been used to treat other cancers for many years, but is relatively new for prostate cancer.
Significance
According to the American Cancer Society, in 2010 approximately 217,730 new diagnoses of prostate cancer will be made, and over 32,000 men will die from the disease. More than 2 million men living in America have been diagnosed with prostate cancer; it is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, with lung cancer being the leading cause.
Features
Cryotherapy involves inserting hollow needles in the skin between the anus and scrotum, says the American Cancer Society. These needles are guided to the prostate using ultrasound. Once placed, extremely cold gases are pushed through the needles to the prostate gland, destroying that tissue. During the procedure, the area being treated is monitored via ultrasound to ensure that surrounding tissues are not greatly affected. Anesthesia is used during the procedure, and a catheter is placed through an abdominal incision so urine can drain post-surgery when the prostate is swollen.
Side Effects
The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Center lists several side effects of cryosurgery, including various degrees of erectile dysfunction, bladder or urethral irritation, penile or scrotal swelling, narrowing of the urethra that obstructs urine, and the potential for a fistula to form. Blood in the urine is normal for the first day or two following the procedure, as well as soreness where the needles were placed. Urinary incontinence is uncommon, says the American Cancer Society, but may occur in men who have had radiation therapy prior to the cryosurgery.
Benefits
Cryosurgery is a relatively fast and easy procedure and is much less invasive than radical prostatectomy, says the American Cancer Society. There is less blood loss, a shorter recovery period and less pain. The University of Pittsburgh also states that the procedure is typically inexpensive and the risk for urinary incontinence is minor.
Considerations
Cryosurgery is a promising treatment for prostate cancer but the long-term effectiveness of the procedure is not yet known, according to the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Center. There is also the possibility that freezing the tissue may not reach all of the cancer cells and those cells will continue to multiply. Cancer that is outside the prostate will also not be treated by the procedure.
