Show #460 Airing Sunday 12/28/08
This sounds like science fiction, but there is a actually a treatment for cancer that only takes one day. No radiation, no surgery, and it’s equally as effective as either of those. What is it? It’s called "cryosurgery." No, we’re not crying wolf when we say it’s a super option. Dr. David Levy from the Urological Surgery department at Fairview Hospital is here to explain.
Question: What is Cryosurgery?
Answer: Basically it’s using super cold temperatures to kill cancer.
It’s a low risk, minimally invasive procedure that freezes the tissue without hurting other areas around the infected area.
We deliver pressured liquid argon into the infected area.
The temperature of the ice – the liquid argon – is lethal to cancer, killing the cancer cells.
It basically turns into a scar.
There is no blood flow to it anymore.
It doesn’t require any cutting or removal of any tissue.
It is used for prostate and kidney cancer. It can also be used for lung and breast cancer.
Question: How can you reach the tissue to deliver the "ice" without cutting into the patient?
Answer: We use these cryoprobes.
Because we can pinpoint the area, the surrounding areas aren’t affected.
We can grow the ice with millimeter precision and, as a result, can preserve any sensitive area.
The probes also can be adjusted for size, so we can tailor the ice growth to each individual.
We actually have computer mapping in the operating room as we are performing the procedure.
Question: How long does the procedure take?
Answer: For prostate cancer, it takes less than an hour and a half, as opposed to 5-6 weeks of radiation.
For kidney cancer, it can take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half.
This is basically an out-patient procedure.
Patients go home the day of treatment with pain pills.
For kidney patients, they are back to work within 48 hours.
Prostate patients have a catheter for two weeks and then they are ready to resume their normal routine.
Question: Does it work?
Answer: Based on the published reports in the literature, cryosurgery seems to be essentially as effective as surgery or radiation for prostate cancer. The main difference is cryosurgery using current technology has only been available for 8 years and surgery and radiation have been around much longer. We do know initial results of the cryosurgery treatment at 5 - 6 weeks following the procedure whereas it can take as much as 10 -14 months to know the initial results of radiation therapy.
Question: What about the side effects?
Answer: 20-30% of patients complain of bladder irritation. It usually resolves itself within five weeks. There is, for many patients, impotence or erectile dysfunction after cryosurgery for prostate cancer.
Question: Why haven't we heard about this? Are doctors routinely offering cryosurgery as an option to their patients with prostate or kidney cancer?
Answer: It really depends on who they’re asking.
Out of all of the urologists in the US, less than 10% are performing this procedure.
If your viewers want to learn more about this, they can check out this website: www.prostatecancer.com – and then click on the information about “cryo.”
The ice age has come to the fight against cancer! And it’s working wonders! My thanks to Dr. David Levy. For more information about cryosurgery, contact Fairview Hospital. The information is next.
