PERCUTANEOUS CRYOABLATION OF THE PROSTATE - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS AFTER95 PROCEDURES

Purpose: We examined the role of percutaneous cryoablation of the pros tate in the treatment of prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: We pe rformed 95 percutaneous cryoablations of the prostate on 87 patients w ith prostate cancer. Of the patients 6 had positive lymph nodes preope ratively, radiation failed in 9 and 9 began postoperative hormonal the rapy because of treatment failure. Mean patient age, prostate specific antigen (PSA) level (ng./ml.) and Gleason score were 65.4, 12.60 and 6.03, respectively. Median followup was 12 months (mean 9.3, range 1 t o 24). In 49 of the 87 patients (56%) the lymph nodes were evaluated b efore cryoablation based on the treatment protocol. Results: Median PS A level at 12 months was 0.55 ng./ml. (mean 1.73) with a 17% positive biopsy rate at 3 months. When the positive lymph node, radiation failu re and postoperative hormonal therapy groups were removed from analysi s, the median PSA level was 0.80 ng./ml. (mean 1.86) with a 5% positiv e biopsy rate. Of the patients in the radiation failure group 37% had a positive biopsy at 3 months. Cases were classified according to stag e, grade and PSA level, and the biopsy results were presented. The com plications of percutaneous cryoablation of the prostate were reviewed. Conclusions: The low percentage of positive biopsies is encouraging b ut the significance of the persistent PSA levels remains uncertain.