Cryotherapy - Prostate Cancer Charity

Treatment Specialist Nurses 0800 074 8383 prostatecanceruk.org
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Cryotherapy is usually used for men whose
prostate cancer has come back after treatment
with radiotherapy or brachytherapy (recurrent
prostate cancer). It is less commonly offered as
a first treatment for prostate cancer. However,
it may be an option for men who are unable
to have other treatments such as surgery or
radiotherapy. For example men with heart
problems (cardiovascular problems) may not
be able to have surgery for prostate cancer.
Men with severe urinary symptoms may not be
suitable for cryotherapy as it can make these
problems worse. If you have difficulty passing
urine or have to pass urine frequently you may
wish to discuss this with your doctor before
choosing a treatment.
Cryotherapy is newer than some of the other
treatments for prostate cancer. We do not know
as much about how effective it is in the long
term, or the risk of side effects compared with
other treatments. Researchers are studying
better ways of carrying out cryotherapy. Because
of this, it is only available in specialist centres
in the UK, or as part of a clinical trial. You can
find more information about clinical trials in our
Tool Kit fact sheet, A guide to prostate cancer
clinical trials.
Your doctor or nurse should discuss all your
treatment options with you. It is important that
they give you information about the advantages,
disadvantages and all the possible side effects of
cryotherapy to help you decide whether it is right
for you. Your options will depend on whether you
have just been diagnosed, or if the cancer has
come back after previous treatment.
Other first treatment options for localised
prostate cancer may include:
• active surveillance
• surgery to remove the prostate
(radical prostatectomy)
• external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), or
• brachytherapy (a type of radiotherapy).
You may also be offered high intensity focused
ultrasound (HIFU). Like cryotherapy, it is not
widely available in the UK and researchers are
studying better ways of carrying it out. It may
be available in specialist centres or as part
of a clinical trial.
You can find more information about all these
treatments in our individual treatment Tool Kit
fact sheets or you can call our Specialist Nurses
on our confidential helpline.
For more information about treatment options
after your first treatment read our booklet,
Recurrent prostate cancer: A guide to
treatment and support.
Unsure about your diagnosis and
treatment options
If you have any questions about your
diagnosis you can ask your doctor or nurse.
They will be happy to explain your test results
and talk you through your treatment options.
It is important you feel you have enough
time and all the information you need before
making a decision about treatment. We
have more information about diagnosis and
treatment in our Tool Kit.
What are the advantages and
disadvantages
The advantages and disadvantages of
cryotherapy may depend on whether you are
having it as a first treatment for prostate cancer
or because the cancer has come back after
another treatment. There is a higher risk of
side effects if you have already had treatment
for prostate cancer. See page 4 for more
information on side effects. You can ask your
doctor or nurse if you are unsure about any of
the advantages or disadvantages of cryotherapy.
Advantages
• Cryotherapy is less invasive than some other
treatments, with little blood loss.
• You will only be in hospital for a short time
and recovery time is quick.