Cryotherapy

What Is Cryotherapy for Prostate Cancer? 

Cryotherapy is a technique that uses very cold temperatures to destroy tumor tissue. During an outpatient procedure, your surgeon inserts a needle called a cryoprobe into your prostate. Cold temperatures pass through the cryoprobe and create a ball of ice around prostate cancer. This ice kills cancer cells. 

Cryotherapy is a type of focal therapy. Focal therapies destroy tumor tissue without removing your entire prostate. Treatments that remove your prostate are called radical therapies. Other names for cryotherapy include cryosurgery and cryoablation. 

Who Is Eligible for Cryoablation?

Cryotherapy may be a good option for men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer who have: 

• A single tumor visible on an MRI 
• Cancer that hasn’t spread outside the prostate

What Happens During Cryotherapy for Prostate Cancer? 

Before cryotherapy, you receive general anesthesia so that you remain asleep. Your surgeon places small probes in and near your prostate. These probes monitor temperature so that we minimize damage to surrounding structures when freezing prostate tissue.

During the treatment, your surgeon: 

1. Uses imaging guidance to direct the cryoprobe through your skin between your scrotum and anus and into your prostate
2. Sends cold gas through the cryoprobe 
3. Freezes and destroys tumor tissue  

Your surgeon usually repeats the process, freezing the tissue twice. Treatment takes about an hour, and you return home the same day. 

Side Effects of Cryotherapy

The main side effect of cryotherapy is minor swelling of your urethra (tube where urine and semen exit your body). After treatment, you will have a catheter (hollow tube) in your urethra for a few days. This catheter helps manage swelling. 

Rarely, you may experience other temporary side effects, such as: 

• Bladder or rectum pain
• Blood in your urine
• Erectile dysfunction (ED)

In the past, there was a risk of urethral damage with cryotherapy. Now, we send warm saltwater through a catheter in your urethra to protect it and keep it from freezing during treatment. 

Benefits of Cryotherapy

Many men choose cryotherapy because it offers multiple benefits, including: 

• Limited side effects
• Low risk of urinary incontinence or sexual dysfunction
• Minimally invasive approach 
• Outpatient treatment 

What Happens After Cryotherapy for Prostate Cancer? 

You will have follow-up visits to monitor your prostate after cryotherapy. Typically, you have a biopsy six months and 18 months after treatment. If cancer returns, these biopsies help ensure that we detect and treat it right away. 

Cryotherapy vs. Prostatectomy 

Overall, cryotherapy and other focal therapies, such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), have a higher rate of cancer returning than radical therapies such as prostatectomy. This can happen both at the treatment site and in other parts of your prostate. However, focal therapies are less invasive and have fewer side effects than radical therapies. Your doctor will explain the risks and benefits of each treatment option and recommend the therapy that’s best for you. 

UCLA Expertise in Cryotherapy for Prostate Cancer

UCLA Health experts have more than a decade of experience using cryotherapy for prostate cancer. Working with multiple specialists across UCLA Health enables us to bring you coordinated, effective treatment. We offer: 

• Leading-edge techniques: Our team uses an artificial intelligence (AI) program that enables us to understand how much cancer has spread and plan your treatment using the most effective approach. This program can help us overcome the limitations of MRI and increase the chances of eliminating a tumor. 
• Personalized approach: We have the skills and expertise to offer every prostate cancer treatment. This breadth of knowledge means we tailor your care plan to meet your needs. 
• Imaging expertise: We have vast experience in techniques such as MRI, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET) scans and targeted biopsies. These tests are critical in mapping out cryotherapy treatment to ensure you get optimal results. 
• Team-based care: Our urologists meet regularly with radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and radiologists to review imaging and discuss our patients’ needs. An entire team works together to determine the most appropriate treatment for you.

Contact Us 

To find out more about cryotherapy for prostate cancer and to schedule an appointment, please call the urology appointment line at 310-794-7700.