UCLA researchers find cryotherapy as an effective treatment for men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer
What is the success rate of cryosurgery for prostate cancer?
https://cancer.ucla.edu/Home/Components/News/News/1532
Studies have shown that biochemical progression-free survival for low-risk patients is 96.4% after they've been treated with cryotherapy. The percentage decreases to 91.2% in the case of medium-risk patients while those of high risk still look at a 62.2% success rate.
BACKGROUND
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in the United States. In 2020, an estimated 191,930 new cases of prostate cancer will be reported, with about 33,330 deaths. Common treatments of low or intermediate-risk prostate cancer include radical prostatectomy, radiotherapy or brachytherapy. Each of these treatments come with varying side effects, fueling research efforts to find if cryotherapy could be a better option.
Cryotherapy, which emerged as a treatment option at UCLA in 2008, is used to treat only the cancerous portion of the prostate, eliminating cancerous cells while also minimizing damage to vital areas. Cancers treated with cryoablation are considered to be of intermediate risk, meaning the tumor might be observed for a while, but could progress if not treated. Patients who select cryoablation are opting for preservation of quality of life and are watched and checked for recurrence of cancer.
IMPACT
A less invasive option than traditional surgical approaches, prostate cryotherapy offers the patient the potential for cure without common side effects including erectile dysfunction, incontinence, or other problems that are a result of a traditional surgery or radiation therapy. There is also a shorter recovery period, shorter hospital stay, less blood loss and less pain.
UCLA patients undergoing hemi-gland cryoablation are a unique cohort compared to prior research because all patients at UCLA have had a pre-treatment multi-parametric MRI and Ultrasound fusion targeted biopsy; they will be followed in a similar fashion. This results in more precise assessment of a target region of cancer for ablation which may, in turn, result in improved
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Clinical Response to Cancer Treatment [ Time Frame: 6 months]
Our primary endpoint will be a patient's clinical response to cancer treatment, specifically, the degree of prostate cancer on a post-treatment fusion biopsy compared to pre-treatment.
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Quality of Life Assessment - Urinary Function [ Time Frame: 6 months ]
Comparison of urinary function pre- and post-treatment will be obtained using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26) questionnaires to report combined overall urinary function assessments.
Other Outcome Measures:
- Quality of Life Assessment - Erectile Function [ Time Frame: 6 months]
Comparison of erectile function pre- and post-treatment will be obtained using the 5-Item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) Sexual Health Inventory for Men and the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26) questionnaires to report combined overall erectile function assessments.