The Role of Whole-Gland and Focal Cryotherapy in Recurrent Prostate Cancer

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

9-22-2024

Journal

Cancers

Volume

16

Issue

18

DOI

10.3390/cancers16183225

Keywords

biochemical recurrence; cryoablation; prostate cancer; radiation therapy failure; salvage HIFU; salvage cryotherapy; salvage therapy

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous malignancy in men, with the majority of newly diagnosed patients eligible for active surveillance. Despite definitive treatment, a considerable percentage of men will experience biochemical recurrence and even regional and distant metastatic recurrence after radiation therapy or radical prostatectomy. Salvage prostatectomy, while oncologically effective, poses significant morbidity with poor functional outcomes. Salvage cryotherapy has emerged as a promising alternative for localized recurrence, demonstrating safety and efficacy. This review examines the oncologic and functional outcomes of whole-gland and focal salvage cryotherapy, including disease-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. The crucial role of multiparametric prostate MRI and evolving role of next-generation PSMA-targeted PET imaging are also examined. The comparison of outcomes of cryotherapy to other salvage ablation modalities, such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), is also explored.

Department

Urology

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