Focal cryotherapy of localized prostate cancer: a systematic review of the literature.

Abstract

Radical/whole gland treatment for prostate cancer has significant side-effects. Therefore focal treatments such as cryotherapy have been used to treat localized lesions whilst aiming to provide adequate cancer control with minimal side-effects. We performed a systematic review of Pubmed/Medline and Cochrane databases' to yield 9 papers for primary focal prostate cryotherapy and 2 papers for focal salvage treatment (radio-recurrent). The results of 1582 primary patients showed biochemical disease-free survival between 71-93% at 9-70 months follow-up. Incontinence rates were 0-3.6% and ED 0-42%. Recto-urethral fistula occurred in only 2 patients. Salvage focal cryotherapy had biochemical disease-free survival of 50-68% at 3 years. ED occurred in 60-71%. Focal cryotherapy appears to be an effective treatment for primary localized prostate cancer and compares favorably to radical/whole gland treatments in medium-term oncological outcomes and side-effects. Although more studies are needed it is also effective for radio-recurrent cancer with a low complications rates.

• Authors: Taimur Tariq Shah, Hashim Ahmed, Abi Kanthabalan, Benjamin Lau, Maneesh Ghei, Barry Maraj, Manit Arya
• Journal: Expert review of anticancer therapy (Expert Rev Anticancer Ther) Vol. 14 Issue 11 Pg. 1337-47 (Nov 2014) ISSN: 1744-8328 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25367324 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review, Systematic Review)

Topics

• Clinical Trials as Topic (methods)
• Cryotherapy (methods, trends)
• Humans
• Male
• Prostatic Neoplasms (diagnosis, therapy)
• Treatment Outcome