Current status of cryotherapy for prostate and kidney cancer

Abstract

In terms of treating diseases, minimally invasive treatment has become a key element in reducing perioperative complications. Among the various minimally invasive treatments, cryotherapy is often used in urology to treat various types of cancers, especially prostate cancer and renal cancer. In prostate cancer, the increased incidence of low-risk, localized prostate cancer has made minimally invasive treatment modalities an attractive option. Focal cryotherapy for localized unilateral disease offers the added benefit of minimal morbidities. In renal cancer, owing to the increasing utilization of cross-sectional imaging, nearly 70% of newly detected renal masses are stage T1a, making them more susceptible to minimally invasive nephron-sparing therapies including laparoscopic and robotic partial nephrectomy and ablative therapies. This article reviews the various outcomes of cryotherapy compared with other treatments and the possible uses of cryotherapy in surgery. © The Korean Urological Association, 2014.