cryosurgery -focal point surgery

siberian said...
The posting by ziggy  is one of the best ever posted in this forum.  The videos explained the procedure very well, and I would recommend that all the men freshly dianosed with pc  look at these videos. There are other options to radiation and major surgery.

Siberian (ken)

Thanks Ken and I agree the videos are very informative. But they are really only for those with low level low risk diagnosed PCa. As I said before this TV special was the first hope I had after my diagnosed PCa that brought me out of depression. I always had a hard time accepting the possibility of radical treatment be it removal of the prostate or frying it by radiation when I really had no symptoms, other than  getting up once or twice a night to piss. I think in coming years many men will be seen as having been overtreated now. I'm not talking those with aggressive PCa at all, this is not for everybody. But for those like me I believe this is the future. I just played golf and my life has returned to pre diagnosis days.

I need to remind everyone this is a clinical research study only being performed as an option at the University of Colorado Medical Center at Denver, Co. It is only an optional treatment here and only if you qualify after a 3D mapping saturation Biopsy.  

Below are the videos Ken is posting about:

part 1

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/video/14776502/index.html

part 2 Options for Treatment

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/video/14776478/index.html

part 3 Deciding on Treatment

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/video/14776543/index.html

part 4 Getting Treatment

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/video/14776562/index.html

5/9/2008 Final update

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/reportersnotebook/16278580/detail.html

 (Editing more dead space)  James C.  Forum Co-Moderator

For those researching this option, the doctor who invented cryoablation is Dr. Gary Onik (with a K) and is at the center Ken mentions.  He has worked on the cryotherapy procedure for over 25 years.  He received high remarks at the 2004 ASCO meeting in Scottsdale Arizona.  Ziggy can correct me if I am wrong, Dr. Al Barqawi received a grant for the study of TFT, a different procedure than total Cryoablation, and is the only center in that grant for this study.  While other Cryosurgeons do perform this procedure without total ablation, there is no study that has results over ten years.  Cryo Centers often do other treatments, as in the center below, and they all outline the Pro's and Con's of this procedure (this applies to total Ablation).  Note that this center does perform Cryosurgery also.

http://www.prostatecancercare.com/treatment/cryosurgery_pc.html

In the following link, guidelines for this treatment option are talked about, and also critiqued.  The authors are world reknowned prostate cancer specialists including David Crawford from the University of Colorado Hospitals ~ and Dirctor of the prostate cancer program there.  Dr. Barqawi is a surgeon in that center.

http://prostatecancerinfolink.net/2008/07/24/is-focal-cryotherapy-appropriate-for-localized-disease/

Please also note, Cryoablation is surgery.  And as in all surgery options it can have side effects.  While cryoablation is touting less side effects, many men have to have repeat procedures done, or will have to take on additional therapies similar to other treatment options, that will compound the side effects in the same manner.

TC-LasVegas said...

For those researching this option, the doctor who invented cryoablation is Dr. Gary Onik (with a K) and is at the center Ken mentions. He has worked on the cryotherapy procedure for over 25 years. He received high remarks at the 2004 ASCO meeting in Scottsdale Arizona. Ziggy can correct me if I am wrong, Dr. Al Barqawi received a grant for the study of TFT, a different procedure than total Cryoablation, and is the only center in that grant for this study. While other Cryosurgeons do perform this procedure without total ablation, there is no study that has results over ten years. Cryo Centers often do other treatments, as in the center below, and they all outline the Pro's and Con's of this procedure (this applies to total Ablation). Note that this center does perform Cryosurgery also.

http://www.prostatecancercare.com/treatment/cryosurgery_pc.html

In the following link, guidelines for this treatment option are talked about, and also critiqued. The authors are world reknowned prostate cancer specialists including David Crawford from the University of Colorado Hospitals ~ and Dirctor of the prostate cancer program there. Dr. Barqawi is a surgeon in that center.

http://prostatecancerinfolink.net/2008/07/24/is-focal-cryotherapy-appropriate-for-localized-disease/

Please also note, Cryoablation is surgery. And as in all surgery options it can have side effects. While cryoablation is touting less side effects, many men have to have repeat procedures done, or will have to take on additional therapies similar to other treatment options, that will compound the side effects in the same manner.