The surgical management of
prostate cancer has evolved
extensively over the past
several decades and the number
of radical prostatectomies has
dramatically increased. It is
estimated that over 70,000 men
per year will undergo this
procedure in the United States;
with our team performing over
3,500 prostatectomies.
Because the majority of men
diagnosed with prostate cancer
have localized disease,
refinement in the technique has
occurred, including robotic
procedures. However, there
still is a substantial risk of
side effects (such as urinary
incontinence and sexual
impotence) and the economic
burden is very high. Careful
evaluation of the prostates
removed after surgery suggest
that not all men needed to have
such an aggressive approach to
cure them from prostate cancer,
and that partial ablation would
have been a more acceptable
alternative.
Thus, the current focus of our
3D-Program is to preserve the
normal prostate while
permanently destroying cancer
foci. Once a man is determined
to be a candidate for 3D
therapy, the cancers are
destroyed with minimally
invasive techniques. Methods for
ablation include cryotherapy,
high intensity focused
ultrasound (HIFU),
electroporation and laser
activated therapy. A periodic
follow-up and specialized
counseling in diet and life
style complement this approach.
Patients receiving this more
conservative therapy show less
secondary effects.
See also:
Cryo-Immunotherapy |