Cryotherapy for prostate cancer

Abstract

Cryotherapy is one of the current treatment options for prostate cancer, with several inherent characteristics making it technically well suited for both primary and salvage therapy. Cryotherapy uses cold temperature (ice) to ablate malignant tissue in a specific area of interest. Multiple cryoprobes are placed into the prostate percutaneously under ultrasound guidance at strategic locations for freezing. By limiting the number of cryoprobes and adjusting their placement, it is possible to perform a focal treatment that ablates only a targeted portion of the gland. Modern cryotherapy appears to provide good cancer control while limiting morbidity and available long-term results support it as a safe and reliable.