PROSTATE
CANCER CRYOTHERAPY
Overview
The Prostate Gland
and Its Relation to Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy ablation, a treatment option for prostate cancer, is a minimally invasive procedure utilizing cryosurgery (freezing) technology to destroy cancerous prostatic cells. Suitable as a primary and salvage (a prostate cancer recurrence after radiation therapy) prostate cancer treatment option, cryosurgical ablation involves the freezing and thawing of the entire prostate gland, however focal cryoablation freezes only the portion of the prostate containing the malignancy.
The prostate is a muscular gland about the size of a walnut, located in the pelvis below the urinary bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate is comprised of several small glands encased in the prostate capsule. Of these glands, the peripheral zone, where prostate cancer most commonly originates, is the largest. The prostate has a key role in the reproduction process, producing protective fluids that aid the sperm during ejaculation.
The Prostate Gland: Understanding its Zones
• Peripheral Zone: Located in the back of the prostate gland closest to the rectum, around 80% of all prostate cancer cases originate in this area.
• Central Zone: Prevents semen from backing up into the bladder. About 5% of prostate cancer cases originate in the central zone.
• Transition Zone: Surrounds the urethra. The transition zone makes up about 5% of the glandular volume and is the site of about 10% of prostate cancers.
Prostate Cancer Stages and What It Means for the Prostate
Individuals with a prostate cancer diagnosis or recurrence who have multilateral cancer, meaning that the malignancy occurs at several sites within the prostate, will need a complete freezing and thawing of the gland in order to obtain a possible prostate cancer cure. The gland, along with a rim of surrounding tissue, will be destroyed during these types of minimally invasive ablative surgeries.
According to pathological findings of men who had surgery at Duke University, clinical studies suggest 1 in 5 men who receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer have unilateral (one-sided) prostate cancer. For these individuals, focal cryotherapy may be an option. This minimally invasive nerve sparing procedure targets malignant tissue while preserving benign tissue and nerve bundles that are associated with erectile function. As only a portion of the prostate gland will be destroyed, it is essential to continuously monitor your prostate for a cancer recurrence. Should the cancer reappear, cryotherapy can be repeated and administered to the affected area.
Galil Medical, innovators of cryotherapy technology, has delivered a new era of cryosurgical (freezing) technology. Ultra-thin cryoablation needles, high resolution ultrasound, CT, or MR imaging, along with real-time temperature monitoring, enable a higher level of control, allowing targeted ablation and the preservation of adjacent healthy tissue. To learn more about cryotherapy and the Galil Medical approach, visit the following links: Cryotherapy Patient Criteria, Technological Advances, and Galil Medical Cryotherapy. |
