New prostate cancer treatment at St. Mary Medical Center kills cancer cells with cold
A new treatment for prostate cancer is being offered at St. Mary Medical Center by Dr. David Hutton, an urologist with the St. Mary Physician Group
The treatment, Cryocare TCAP (Targeted CryoAblation of the Prostate), uses cold to kill the cancer cells. It offers patients a significantly faster recovery with fewer side effects than radiation treatment or prostate removal. Used with a protocol to preserve the nerves, men also may retain sexual function, Hutton said.
"It's minimally invasive, and works well," Dr. Hutton said. "Cure rate data we are seeing shows it is comparable to radiation or surgery."
Cryoablation is for men whose cancer has not spread beyond the prostate, and is a one-to-two hour minimally invasive procedure. Using ultrasound images as a guide, the physician inserts into the prostate gland six to eight slender probes filled with argon gas to freeze the cancerous cells. A warming catheter protects the urethra from damage during the procedure.
Most men can resume their normal activities within a few days, Dr. Hutton said. Unlike with surgery or radiation, cryoablation can be repeated if cancer reoccurs. Cryoablation also can be used to kill prostate cancer that has reoccurred following other forms of treatment.
A study published in 2002 found that after seven years, 92 percent of low-risk prostate patients treated with cryoablation were still cancer free, and 89 percent of medium-risk and high-risk patients were cancer free. The treatment is approved by Medicare.
The risk of incontinence is significantly lower than with surgery. Recent studies have shown that for some men the treatment can be performed with minimal damage to the nerves necessary for sexual function.
Currently at St. Mary, cryoablation patients are kept overnight, but the procedure eventually will be offered on an outpatient basis, Dr. Hutton said.
By comparison, surgical removal of the prostate generally requires a three-day hospital stay followed by three to five weeks of recovery. Radiation treatment generally spans six to eight weeks of visits, and the patient can experience fatigue for a few weeks afterwards. Brachytherapy requires the implantation of 80 to 100 radioactive pellets into the prostate during an outpatient procedure. Men who believe they may benefit from cryoablation should discuss the procedure with their physicians. They also may call Dr. Hutton's office directly at 509-522-5832.
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Posted on March 26, 2005 12:03 |
Health / Medical
