Impact of a cryotherapy training workshop on the adoption and utilization of cryotherapy in the community setting

Given the improved therapeutic efficacy and acceptable side effect profile with current cryotechnology, we wish to better understand the attitudes of community urologists expressing interest in this treatment modality toward the adoption of cryotherapy in their practice.

A retrospective survey was conducted with information gathered on 50 responding physicians who attended a cryosurgery workshop between February 2004 and September 2006. Specifics such as demographics and professional background, reasons for interest in cryosurgery, and the current status of cryosurgery in the physicians' practice were collected and analyzed using SPSS, version 14 (Chicago, IL).

Of the responding 50 physicians who attended a cryotherapy training workshop, 33 (66%) had been in practice for >/= 15 years. The most frequently cited reasons for interest in cryosurgery were the intention to introduce cryosurgery into routine practice for treatment of primary (70%) and salvage (62%) prostate cancer and treatment of renal neoplasms (62%). Most physicians reported the learning curve to be short. Of the 22 (44%) physicians currently practicing cryotherapy, most are using the technique for treatment of primary prostate cancer and as a salvage procedure for radiorecurrent prostate cancer. Twenty-eight (56%) physicians reported that they were not practicing cryosurgery yet, mainly citing lack of patient interest/appropriate patients and/or a lack of institutional support.

This study provides insight into the attitudes of community urologists to adopt cryotherapy into their practice following a training course. Although some surgeons successfully integrate cryotherapy into their practice, further efforts must be made to remove barriers to allow adoption of this technology in the community setting.