• What is Cryosurgery?
• Am I a candidate for this procedure?
• How is the procedure done?
• How successful is the procedure?
• Who performs the Cryosurgery procedure?

A New Treatment Option for Prostate Cancer

Cryosurgery (or cryotherapy) is a minimally invasive treatment which eradicates prostate cancer by freezing prostate cells.  The doctor inserts ultra-thin needles directly into the prostate gland where they produce ice balls of extreme sub-zero temperatures.  Ultrasound is used to guide the insertion of the needles and monitor the freezing process which destroys the cancerous tissue.

Benefits of cryosurgery:

• Minimally invasive approach to treatment for prostate cancer
• No radiation exposure or radioactive substances left in the body
• Treatment option when other treatments are not available
• Shorter length of time for treatment of prostate cancer
• Minimal to no pain post-procedure
• Faster recovery

Only a urologist can determine whether or not you are a candidate for cryosurgery. 

There are however the following indications:

Cryosurgery for cancer of the prostate can be offered as both a primary and a salvage treatment (when another treatment option has failed to treat prostate cancer). 

Cryosurgery as a primary treatment is most effective when cancer is confined to the organ and in its early stages with a low risk for metastasis.

Cryosurgery may be selected as a secondary treatment if external radiation treatment does not work as a primary treatment. Patients who have undergone permanent radioactive seed implantation are not candidates for cryosurgery due to the implanted titanium castings.  Cryosurgery however may be a viable option for patients who cannot pursue a radical prostatectomy due to underlying conditions.

Cryosurgery is performed  at The Good Samaritan Hospital.  After the patient has received an anesthetic, up to 14 needles are inserted into the prostate.  During the procedure, the prostate and needles are evaluated with ultrasound imaging.  The temperature of the prostate tissue is lowered to minus 20 degrees Celsius for several minutes. 

Cryosurgery can be performed under regional or general anesthesia as outpatient procedure which typically takes less than two hours.  Most patients are allowed to go home within 24 hours of the procedure.  Depending on individual circumstances, an overnight stay may be required.  Most patients report minimal to no pain and return to regular activities within a few days.

A 2008 study at Allegheny Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, analyzed 370 patients who underwent cryosurgery as primary monotherapy between 1991 and 1996.¹

After a median follow-up of 12.55 years, the researchers found that biochemical disease-free survival rate at 10 years was 80.56 percent for low-risk patients, 74.16 percent for moderate-risk patients and 45.54 percent for high-risk patients. They also found that the 10-year negative biopsy rate was 76.96 percent.

Early detection is extremely important in the effective treatment of cancer.   Regular prostate exams and testing of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) levels are the best way to diagnose cancer in its early stages. 

How do I find a physician who can perform the procedure?

The following urologists are currently performing the cryosurgery procedure at The Good Samaritan Hospital.

M. Scott Beltz, M.D.
Urology Associates of Lebanon PA
815 Norman Drive
Lebanon, PA 17042
Phone: 717-272-4500

Leonard P Ferrara, M.D.
Urology Associates of Lebanon PA
815 Norman Drive
Lebanon, PA 17042
Phone: 717-272-4500

Madhukar R Patel, M.D.
Urology Associates of Lebanon PA
815 Norman Drive
Lebanon, PA 17042
Phone: 717-272-4500

If your insurance company requires a referral in order to be seen by a specialist, you will need to ask your primary care physician for a referral.

References
1 Cohen J., Ten-Year Biochemical Disease Control for Patients with Prostate Cancer Treated with Cryosurgery as Primary Therapy.  Urology, Volume 71, Issue 3, Pages 515 - 518