Prostate cryotherapy
may also be referred to as cryosurgery or cryoablation.
Cryotherapy is a relatively new and promising prostate
cancer treatment which uses argon gas circulated through
ultrathin needles to grow ice balls on the prostate
gland. The freezing temperatures destroy the prostate
gland, including the malignant tissue. Prostate cryosurgery
is also minimally invasive; surgeons uses ultrathin
cryoneedles inserted percutaneously through the perineum.
Because of radioresistant prostate cancer, which occurs
when prostate cells are not destroyed even after exposure
to extremely high doses of radiation, the idea of using
another kind of weapon – ice – has been
around since the mid-twentieth century. Only recently,
however, has the imaging and equipment technology evolved
to the point where cryotherapy can be a mainstream prostate
cancer treatment. Prostate cryotherapy is a relatively
new prostate cancer treatment so the while the data
on long term results are promising, they are also limited.
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