Cryotherapy is one of the newest methods of prostate cancer conventional treatments.

Cryotherapy or cryoablation means the freezing of the prostate, if the tumor has not spread from the prostate body region by killing both cancer and normal cells.



This treatment technique actually dates back since the 1960’s when it was used in treating stomach ulcers by freezing the lining of the stomach. Because of the serious negative side effects doctors stopped practicing this treatment method until its reintroduction in 1998.

The prostate cancer comes in second place if we are talking about the most common causes of cancer death in male population, especially on the western side, affecting about eighteen per cent of the American male population. Prescribing a correct treatment could help ensure the continuity of life so doctors classify prostate cancer into three categories: near the prostate gland or organ-confined, locally advanced or spread only locally and metastatic, which is the advanced form of prostate cancer. For the last stage there are no effective treatments, but on the list of treatments used for the organ-confined and locally advance stages we find the cryoablation method.

It can be described as the insertion through a needle of a freezing liquid such as argon or liquid nitrogen into the prostate gland, procedure accomplished only with the help of ultrasoundimages.

Since we are talking about the same old procedure used back in the 1960’s, which underwent some minor modifications, studies regarding it are still being conducted and new information appears each time but it just doesn’t seem enough for a better understanding of  the full capacity of this medical method of treatment.

Medical researchers know about the side affects it may cause like infections, fistulas that leak urine or blockage of the urethra, but also about its temporary ineffectiveness when the liquid inserted doesn’t kill the cancer cells. A Canadian study, comparing two forms of cancer treatment, and I’m referring to radiation therapy and cryoablation, concluded that the last one is less favorable for the advanced stages of prostate cancer.

This kind of result is somehow discouraging and it usually seems like medicine didn’t make much of a progress in these past years. There are people suffering for years of incurable diseases but are hoping for a treatment to be discovered while they are still alive. Positive thinking is very important for this people.

While prostate cancer has its treatments we still can’t talk about a definitive cure for it.

Cancerous cells tend to reappear after some periods of time and unfortunately the new tumor could spread more aggressively in comparison to the first time. Expectant management can be the right treatment in this case, complemented by the doctor’s advices about what natural products should you include in your diet.

Expecting for a slow death is not the answer because as long as you’re alive anything can be accomplished!