Prostate Cancer Treatment Home > Cryotherapy For Prostate Cancer

Tell Me, What Is Cryotherapy
For Prostate Cancer?

And does cryotherapy stop the cancer cold?

What is cryotherapy for prostate cancer?

Who does it work best for?

Should I consider it?

Those are common questions. Good questions. Let's see if we can't reveal some decent answers to help get you started on determining if this is a possible treatment option for you.

Cryotherapy Defined: In three words it is treatment by freezing. This is a minimally invasive process that freezes the entire prostate gland to destroy the cancerous tissues.

Cryotherapy, also known as cryosurgery, is an alternative treatment for localized prostate cancer. It uses extreme cold delivered via liquid nitrogen to in essence freeze the prostate and in the process destroy the cancerous cells.

In essence a probe, or cryo needles, are inserted into the prostate. The tip is then cooled to very low temperature using liquid nitrogen or argon. This low temperature then freezes the prostate cancer cells.

Who best for: This treatment is most suitable for localized intermediate stage prostate cancer. It is also another option for those for whom radiation failed to destroy the cancerous cells.

Pros:
• You get a much shorter recovery time compared to open surgery. Nor does it involve frequent hospital visits as is the case of radiation treatments.

• It is relatively painless procedure often done on an outpatient basis. It requires a small incision to insert the cryo-needles. This minimizes blood loss and like I said eliminates any hospital stay.

• The risk of urinary incontinence is low.

Cons:
• Your risk erectile dysfunction is high. Which has become the biggest drawback to this treatment option. The reason being that in the process of destroying the cancer cells vital nerve tissue can also be harmed. Resulting in impotence.

• It can cause damage to surrounding tissues resulting in swelling in the genital area, itching burning during urination, blood in urine, and possible bladder infections. These usually dissipates within weeks after the procedure has been completed.

• Sometimes microscopic cancers may be missed out as the treatment is based on radioscopic images.

• It sometimes causes urethral sloughing. This is a blockage of the urethra due to accumulated dead tissues. This happens in very rare cases where the urethra is damaged in cryotherapy. But create obvious problems when the urine can't be passed.

Sum it up: This is a fast, relatively painless process with decent cancer control rates. However cryotherapy works best if the cancer is limited to a single site. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body cryosurgery is likely not appropriate. Obviously the challenge in determining if this, or any prostate cancer treatment is right for you can only be resolved in consultation with your doctor.

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