In the last several years, minimally invasive treatment options, of which cryotherapy is one, have been examined more closely to determine what benefits they may offer over other standard therapies. The goal of minimally invasive options is to reduce the impact of the treatment on the patient, resulting in quicker recovery and fewer side effects, while maintaining the effectiveness of standard treatments.

Cryotherapy works by temporarily freezing the prostate gland to extremely low temperatures. After anesthetic is given, treatment needles (probes) are inserted into the prostate. Once placed, they will be activated, resulting in very cold temperatures that freeze the prostate tissue touched by the probes. The freezing and thawing process treats the cancer. Surgical removal of the treated tissue is not required.

Possible side effects include erectile dysfunction, incontinence, pelvic pain, and scrotal swelling. In most cases, these side effects are resolved in a few weeks, and most men recover their normal bowel and bladder function. Although erectile dysfunction is common, a recent study published in Urology found that post-treatment sexual function can be rapidly and substantially increased if accompanied by a penile rehabilitation regimen.¹

Men with prostate cancer, with the support of their spouses and families, often choose cryotherapy because it is minimally invasive and does not involve invasive surgery or radiation and can be performed under regional or general anesthesia. Patients usually return home the day of treatment or after one night in the hospital. Aside from the treatment’s relative tolerability, recent publications demonstrate safety and durable effectiveness of cryotherapy for treating prostate cancer.²

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Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of death in men after lung cancer, accounting for about 10 percent of all cancer-related deaths in men.

Alternative treatment options:

• Radiotherapy
• Prostatectomy