Current status of minimally invasive treatment options for localized prostate carcinoma

Prostate cancer is the leading malignancy in men today and an increase in detected localized prostate cancers is expected in the years to come. Even though radical prostatectomy is an effective treatment, it is associated with a considerable morbidity in some cases and efforts are made to provide minimally invasive alternative treatment options with equal efficacy but fewer side effects.

Cryosurgical ablation of the prostate (CSAP), brachytherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and radiofrequency interstitial tumor ablation (RITA) were evaluated after a literature review from a Medline Search (1966-1998). Furthermore, personal experience and latest data from the authors were taken into account.

All alternative treatments nowadays make use of sophisticated technology, including the latest ultrasound devices for exact planning and monitoring of treatment, leading to increased safety compared to treatments in the 1960s and 1970s. Five-year results of CSAP show a PSA <1 ng/ml in 60% of cases whereas brachytherapy is able to achieve PSA <1 ng/ml in 80% of cases in a selected group. Recent outcome data come close to results of radical prostatectomy series. HIFU and RITA are promising new technologies that proved to be able to induce extensive necrosis, but the follow-up is too short to determine their definite places in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Two alternative treatment options for localized prostate carcinoma, CSAP and brachytherapy, have been studied with a sufficient number of patients and an adequate follow-up. The overall results of brachytherapy are favorable when compared to CSAP and are in the same range as the outcome after radical prostatectomy. HIFU and RITA are relatively new techniques based on sophisticated technology that are very promising at present, but a longer follow-up is mandatory.