The acceptance of cryotherapy as a prostate cancer treatment is due in large part to the advantages attributed to ice. The iceballs produced by cryoprobes reach freezing temperatures within seconds and kill cancer immediately on contact. This approach has several distinct benefits in comparison to other procedures.
It's Natural: Ice is a natural, holistic treatment, free of radiation or the need for strong drugs.
It's Relentless: Ice kills all cancerous tissues and tumors, regardless of their severity or aggressiveness.
It's Targeted: With ultrasound image guidance, ice probes can be pinpointed to carefully treat focused areas of the prostate.
It's Painless: Because ice is a natural painkiller, there is little or no pain to patients during recovery.
It's Minimally Invasive: The application of ice can be performed swiftly and easily, without major surgery.
It's Extremely Effective: Ice therapy has proven so effective that it's now used to combat cancer affecting the liver, lung, and kidney. It may also be used to manage bone pain resulting from metastatic cancer.
It's Repeatable: Cryotherapy can be repeated again and again in cases of recurrence.
(Information from killcancercold.com)
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
What are the advantages of cryosurgery?
Cryosurgery offers advantages over other methods of cancer treatment. It is less invasive than surgery, involving only a small incision or insertion of the cryoprobe through the skin.
Consequently, pain, bleeding, and other complications of surgery are minimized. Cryosurgery is less expensive than other treatments and requires shorter recovery time and a shorter hospital stay, or no hospital stay at all. Sometimes cryosurgery can be done using only local anesthesia.
Because physicians can focus cryosurgical treatment on a limited area, they can avoid the destruction of nearby healthy tissue. The treatment can be safely repeated and may be used along with standard treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiation.
Cryosurgery may offer an option for treating cancers that are considered inoperable or that do not respond to standard treatments. Furthermore, it can be used for patients who are not good candidates for conventional surgery because of their age or other medical conditions.
Consequently, pain, bleeding, and other complications of surgery are minimized. Cryosurgery is less expensive than other treatments and requires shorter recovery time and a shorter hospital stay, or no hospital stay at all. Sometimes cryosurgery can be done using only local anesthesia.
Because physicians can focus cryosurgical treatment on a limited area, they can avoid the destruction of nearby healthy tissue. The treatment can be safely repeated and may be used along with standard treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiation.
Cryosurgery may offer an option for treating cancers that are considered inoperable or that do not respond to standard treatments. Furthermore, it can be used for patients who are not good candidates for conventional surgery because of their age or other medical conditions.
Monday, December 14, 2009
What Happens During Cryoablation
Cryoablation – or more simply “cryo” – is part of the new direction in medicine that doesn’t use major surgery to destroy cancer.
Instead, state-of-the-art technology assists the doctor who uses ultrasound to “see” inside the body as slender probes are inserted into position and as the iceball forms that kills the cancer.
Preparation for cryo is the same as for any other procedure requiring anesthesia. This means you will be instructed to have no food or drink for a certain time.
Right before the procedure you will have an IV inserted into a vein to supply your body with fluids and any necessary medications such as a relaxant or antibiotics.
You will be under anesthesia, either general (you are asleep) or spinal/epidural (you are mildly sedated and numb from the waist down). You will not feel anything during your cryo. It is performed in a sterile environment so there is minimal risk of infection.
Afterward you will wake up in a room where your vital signs are being watched. If your cryo is done on an outpatient basis, you will be allowed to leave when you are stable and comfortable and you have someone to drive you home.
If it is being done inpatient, you will spend the night being monitored in the hospital and will most likely be allowed to leave the next day.
Your doctor will determine whether you are admitted to the hospital and your doctor will determine when you are ready to go home.
Most patients go home with a catheter or tube to help urine drain from the bladder. There are two types of catheter – which one you will have will depend upon your doctor.
Instead, state-of-the-art technology assists the doctor who uses ultrasound to “see” inside the body as slender probes are inserted into position and as the iceball forms that kills the cancer.
Preparation for cryo is the same as for any other procedure requiring anesthesia. This means you will be instructed to have no food or drink for a certain time.
Right before the procedure you will have an IV inserted into a vein to supply your body with fluids and any necessary medications such as a relaxant or antibiotics.
You will be under anesthesia, either general (you are asleep) or spinal/epidural (you are mildly sedated and numb from the waist down). You will not feel anything during your cryo. It is performed in a sterile environment so there is minimal risk of infection.
Afterward you will wake up in a room where your vital signs are being watched. If your cryo is done on an outpatient basis, you will be allowed to leave when you are stable and comfortable and you have someone to drive you home.
If it is being done inpatient, you will spend the night being monitored in the hospital and will most likely be allowed to leave the next day.
Your doctor will determine whether you are admitted to the hospital and your doctor will determine when you are ready to go home.
Most patients go home with a catheter or tube to help urine drain from the bladder. There are two types of catheter – which one you will have will depend upon your doctor.
Coffee May Play Role In Prostate Cancer Avoidance
A daily cup of coffee has been revealed as the latest weapon in the battle against prostate cancer - the most common form of cancer in men, with 35,000 diagnoses and 10,000 deaths a year.
A new study from the Harvard Medical School in America found those who regularly drank the beverage were 60 per cent less likely to develop fast-growing, hard-to-treat forms of the cancer, than others.
Cancer charities and experts urged caution, saying more research was needed and lifestyle factors played a bigger role.
A new study from the Harvard Medical School in America found those who regularly drank the beverage were 60 per cent less likely to develop fast-growing, hard-to-treat forms of the cancer, than others.
Cancer charities and experts urged caution, saying more research was needed and lifestyle factors played a bigger role.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Questions Before Cryo
Here are some questions you can ask a week or so before your cryo procedure:
1. Has my procedure been explained so I can understand it?
2. Are there any standard tests I still need to complete before my cryo procedure?
3. What preparation will I need the night before my procedure? On my arrival at the hospital?
4. Will I have an overnight stay in the hospital?
5. What kind of anesthesia is best for me?
6. What kind of catheter will I have after the procedure?
7. How long can I expect the catheter to be in place? Will someone show me how to care for it before I go home?
8. How soon after the procedure can I get up and walk around? Drive? Exercise? Climb stairs? Life heavy objects? Engage in sex?
9. What antibiotics will I be on after the procedure and for how long?
10. How long after cryo can I have spontaneous erections? If not spontaneous, how can my doctor help me maintain physical intimacy with my loved one?
11. Can I still experience orgasm after cryo? Will it be any different?
1. Has my procedure been explained so I can understand it?
2. Are there any standard tests I still need to complete before my cryo procedure?
3. What preparation will I need the night before my procedure? On my arrival at the hospital?
4. Will I have an overnight stay in the hospital?
5. What kind of anesthesia is best for me?
6. What kind of catheter will I have after the procedure?
7. How long can I expect the catheter to be in place? Will someone show me how to care for it before I go home?
8. How soon after the procedure can I get up and walk around? Drive? Exercise? Climb stairs? Life heavy objects? Engage in sex?
9. What antibiotics will I be on after the procedure and for how long?
10. How long after cryo can I have spontaneous erections? If not spontaneous, how can my doctor help me maintain physical intimacy with my loved one?
11. Can I still experience orgasm after cryo? Will it be any different?
Monday, December 7, 2009
Cryotherapy for Prostate Cancer
In the early 1990's, a new treatment for prostate cancer called cryosurgery emerged. Today, this treatment more aptly is referred to as "cryotherapy". The goal of cryotherapy is to eradicate prostate cancer by freezing the prostate gland.
After receiving anesthesia, the doctor inserts needles into the prostate gland through the perineum, the area between the scrotum and anus. The needles produce very cold temperatures. Freezing destroys the entire prostate, including any cancerous tissue within it.
Cryotherapy uses ultra-thin needles to produce ice balls of extreme sub-zero temperatures. The doctor uses ultrasound to accurately guide insertion of the needles, precisely control the size and shape of the ice balls and monitor the freezing.
Cryotherapy is an option for prostate cancer patients who want to avoid major surgery or the risks of "watchful waiting." Cryotherapy can treat prostate cancer patients in the intermediate and high risk groups as well as those who have failed previous radiation treatment.
Recent publications showing 10-year data demonstrates safety and durable efficacy of cryotherapy for treating prostate cancer. Morbidity following the procedure is mild in comparison with other treatments, with the exception of sexual function impairment.
Cryotherapy for prostate cancer can be repeated, and it can also be used as a secondary treatment when other primary treatments fail.
After receiving anesthesia, the doctor inserts needles into the prostate gland through the perineum, the area between the scrotum and anus. The needles produce very cold temperatures. Freezing destroys the entire prostate, including any cancerous tissue within it.
Cryotherapy uses ultra-thin needles to produce ice balls of extreme sub-zero temperatures. The doctor uses ultrasound to accurately guide insertion of the needles, precisely control the size and shape of the ice balls and monitor the freezing.
Cryotherapy is an option for prostate cancer patients who want to avoid major surgery or the risks of "watchful waiting." Cryotherapy can treat prostate cancer patients in the intermediate and high risk groups as well as those who have failed previous radiation treatment.
Recent publications showing 10-year data demonstrates safety and durable efficacy of cryotherapy for treating prostate cancer. Morbidity following the procedure is mild in comparison with other treatments, with the exception of sexual function impairment.
Cryotherapy for prostate cancer can be repeated, and it can also be used as a secondary treatment when other primary treatments fail.
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