Johns Hopkins Health Alert
"Plan B”: Cryotherapy as Salvage Therapy for Prostate Cancer
Every year, approximately a third of men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer will be treated with external beam radiation therapy or brachytherapy as their primary treatment choice. Unfortunately, many will experience a recurrence of cancer, with failure rates ranging up to 32 percent. This is when salvage cryotherapy becomes a possible option.
Think of salvage therapy for prostate cancer as "plan B," with the ultimate goal being to stop cancer growth and increase long-term survival. The time to consider it is when it's been confirmed that your initial form of cancer treatment -- external beam radiation or brachytherapy -- was not able to cure the cancer, and the disease has come back.
A rising PSA level suggests recurrent prostate cancer, which must be confirmed by a prostate biopsy. The options available for salvage therapy of locally recurrent prostate cancer following radiation therapy include radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy, radiation therapy and cryotherapy.
The drawback to prostate surgery as a salvage procedure is that due to prostate scarring from the previous radiotherapy, the prostate will be very difficult to remove without significant damage to the bladder and rectum. When it comes to radiation therapy or brachytherapy as salvage possibilities, these procedures may actually cause increased rectal and urinary problems.
Cryotherapy is becoming an attractive option after radiation therapy failure because cryotherapy uses freezing temperatures rather than additional radiation to kill cancer cells that may somehow have become resistant to additional radiation and even to hormonal therapy.
How does cryotherapy work? Cryotherapy kills cancer cells by freezing them. In cryotherapy, thin needles (cryoprobes) are inserted through the perineum (the area between the scrotum and anus) and into the prostate. Needle placement is guided with an ultrasound probe placed in the rectum. Argon gas drops the temperature of the cryoprobes to a minimum of -40° C (and often below -135° C). The extremely low temperatures create iceballs that freeze the nearby tissue, killing the tissue and cancer cells with it. Helium is then introduced into the needles, which raises the temperature so the prostate can thaw.
Posted in Prostate Disorders on November 16, 2011
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Disclaimer
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I am a 68 year old white male. I am in good shape and health. Surfing has kept me fit all my life. I have been recently informed after my PSA was high ( 5.3) and a biopsy that my Prostate has cancer. Nine of the twelve samples were infected. My Gleason score is seven, I have been classified as a T1 C. I live here in S. Florida. My local Urologist sent me to Dr. Vipul Patel in Celebration Fl. He is renown for Robotic surgery. A date has been set for March 5. I am trying to read and learn as much as possible prior to this. I am single and would like to continue living as close to my normal life as possible. I obliviously want to rid myself of the cancer. I also would like to due whatever would be the least invasive form of killing the cancer cells. Any suggestions and or comparisons will be greatly appreciated. Townsend
Posted by: Townsend | February 4, 2012 7:08 AM