Prostate Cryoablation

I have had to do a lot of research on prostate cancer treatments lately.  Unfortunately my father has been diagnosed.  While it is a very scary thought for my father to have cancer, we know that it was caught early so the outcome can be very good for us.  I am really pushing for him to receive Prostate Cryoablation.  I have done my homework on it and this seems to be a great option for him.

Prostate Cryoablation is a treatment where they use cold energy to kill off the bad tissues.  Essentially they take a special needles called cryoprobes and they place the needles inside the tumor and release the super cold gases and fluids which cool down the heated areas.  You may have heard the term cryogenic freezing before, well that is what they are doing here.  It is very common for prostate patients to use Prostate Cryoablation.

One of the major side effects of Prostate Cryoablation is impotence.  So there are 3 areas that they look at when considering this for a patient.  First is for the patient who's sexual activity is not as important or for those who are not good candidates for a full prostate removal.   Second is for those who did not respond to brachytherapy or EBRT (external beam radiation therapy). Lastly they take into consideration your age and the size and location of the tumors.  If you are young with a less noticeable tumor, you could make a good candidate.

Prostate Cryoablation treatment is being considered and used more and more in today's clinics, and hospitals.  The freezing process kills off the bad tissues and masses very quickly, and its a lot less invasive than radiation or chemotherapy. The entire procedure only takes a couple hours, and most will go home that day. 

Another great advantage of Prostate Cryoablation is the recovery time.  Most people resume their normal daily activities in a week or so.  A catheter is left in place for anywhere from a week to 3 weeks, but considering the effects of radiation or chemo, its well worth it. 

Dont take my word for it, make sure you talk with the doctors and do the research your self.  If I can say anything its that the research we did at home was what sold us on the procedure.  It is so important to make sure you under stand what is happening, and doctors tend to leave all the medical jargon in there when they talk to you.  It was a lot easier to understand Prostate Cryoablation on my own.