[Cryotherapy III, Bibliographic review. Our experience (I)]

To perform a bibliographic review of the main features of cryotherapy as a therapeutic option in the managemente of prostate cancer and to report our initial experience.

We employed the Endocare Fast-Trac system (Medipro) with 2,4 mm needles implanted in a single maneouvre without rack or transrectal US transducer support. Two cycles of freezing--hawing were employed, with apex backward movement when necessary. Freezing cycle duration was between 7-10 minutes or more. The Onik maneouvre-injection of saline into the Denonvillier's space--diminishes the risk of rectal injury and fistula allowing reaching posterior limits of the ica-ball beyond the prostatic capsule.

We treated 20 patients. Follow-up was between 30-36 months. 58% of the patients had unilateral prostate cancer, 42% bilateral. In accordance to the classic definition 9 patients were classified as low risk of extraprostatic disease, 6 medium risk and 5 high risk; using number of positive cores as the criterion for risk 5, 6 and 9 were low, medium and high risk respectively. Per protocol prostate biopsies were performed in 18 patients 6, 12 and 24 months after treatment. Two patients underwent a second treatment due to persistence of cancer cells in the 6-month biopsy (11%). 3-month PSA nadirs after a total of 21 cryo treatments administered were < 0,2 ng/cc in 15 cases (78,9%), < 0,5 ng/cc in 17 (89,4%) and < or = 1.0 ng/cc in 18 (94,7%); it was over 1 ng/cc in only 5,6%. 30 month PSA for the same cutoff values was 27.8%, 50.0%, 66.6% and 33.3%, respectively. Prostate cancer cells were detected in the 12-month biopsies of 5.5% cases. All 24-month biopsies were negative.

We observed scrotal edema, hematoma, perineal pain and constipation which lasted 2-3 weeks. 1 patient suffered injury of the mucosa at the prostatic urethra, which did not result in rectal fistula and was treated with bladder catheter for 3 months. 4 patients had erectile dysfunction before treatment. All others presented erectile dysfunction after treatment; 3 of them (20%) recovered rigidity enough to have intercourse over the 30 month period. No urethral sloughing or acute urinary retention appeared and all patients are continent.

Prostatic cryosurgery is an effective, minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of prostate cancer with very low surgical risk, low morbidity and almost null mortality.