Whole Gland Primary Prostate Cryoablation: Initial Results From the Cryo On-Line Data Registry

Cryoablation for locally advanced clinical stage T3 prostate cancer: a report from the Cryo-On-Line Database (COLD) Registry

OBJECTIVE

To assess the oncological and functional outcomes of primary prostate cryoablation for men with clinical stage T3 (cT3) prostate cancer, as although radical prostatectomy (RP) or external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) are the standard treatments for locally advanced cT3 prostate cancer some patients opt for nonextirpative prostate cryoablation instead.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The Cryo-On-Line Database (COLD) Registry was queried to identify patients with cT3 prostate cancer treated with whole-gland cryoablation (366 patients). We assessed biochemical disease-free survival (bDFS) using the Phoenix definition and determined reported rates of urinary incontinence and retention, sexual activity, and rectourethral fistulisation after treatment. Patients were subsequently assessed according to whether they were administered neoadjuvant androgen-deprivation therapy or not (ADT; 115 patients, 31.4%).

RESULTS

For the entire cohort, the 36- and 60-month bDFS rates were 65.3% and 51.9%, respectively. Patients who received neoadjuvant ADT had statistically nonsignificantly higher 36- and 60-month bDFS rates (68.0% and 55.4%, respectively) than patients who did not receive neoadjuvant ADT (55.3% and 36.9%, respectively). The after treatment urinary incontinence rate was 2.6%; urinary retention rate, 6.0%; sexual activity rate, 30.4%; and rectourethral fistulisation rate, 1.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

Cryoablation for patients with cT3 prostate cancer leads to less favourable bDFS than that after RP or RT for the same group of men. The after treatment rectourethral fistulisation rates for patients with cT3 disease are higher than in those with organ-confined prostate cancer treated with cryoablation; however, urinary dysfunction and sexual activity rates are similar for men with cT3 to those reported from this same registry in men with cT2 disease. The addition of neoadjuvant ADT (though not studied prospectively here) should be strongly considered if a patient with cT3 prostate cancer is to be treated with cryoablation.

Cryotherapy for primary treatment of prostate cancer: intermediate term results of a prospective study from a single institution

Purpose. Published data about cryotherapy for prostate cancer (PC) treatment are based on case series with a lack of clinical trials and the inexistence of a validated definition of biochemical failure. A prospective study with standardized followup protocol was conducted in our institution. Material and Methods. Prospective study of a series of cases including 108 patients diagnosed with localized PC at clinical stage T1c-T2c treated by primary cryoablation and median followup of 61 months. Criteria of biochemical recurrence were unified according to the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO). End points were biochemical progression-free survival (BPFS), cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. Rate of complications was reported. Results. The BPFS for low-, medium-, and high-risk patients was 96.4%, 91.2%, and 62.2%, respectively. Cancer-specific survival was 98.1%. Overall survival reached 94.4%. Complications included incontinence in 5.6%, urinary tract obstruction in 1.9%, urethral sloughing in 5.6%, haematuria in 1.9%, perineal pain in 11.1%, and prostatorectal fistula in 0.9%. Erectile disfunction was found in 98.1%. Conclusions. Cryotherapy is an effective and minimally invasive treatment for primary PC in well-selected cases, with low surgical risk and good results in terms of BPFS, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival.

Cryotherapy and its applications in the management of urologic malignancies: a review of its use in prostate and renal cancers

Cryotherapy has been established as an ablative modality for the treatment of a wide range of malignancies. Being minimally invasive, it is associated with less morbidity than conventional extirpative surgical procedures. In recent years, it has been used with success for treating two of the common urologic malignancies, that is, prostate and renal cancer. In this review, we highlight the role of cryotherapy as a treatment modality, the proposed destructive mechanisms of action and the risks of its use in the management of prostate and renal malignancy.

Analysis of circulating regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+CD127-) after cryosurgery in prostate cancer

This study was performed to assess the response of regulatory T cells (Tregs) following cryosurgery in prostate cancer (PCa) patients by measuring their frequency and immune function. Blood was collected prior to and at 4 and 8 weeks after treatment in 30 patients with high-risk PCa who underwent cryosurgery and from 15 healthy volunteers. Circulating CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) Tregs were isolated. Their frequency was detected by flow cytometry, and immune suppressive function was evaluated by measuring the proliferation of CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells cocultured with Tregs. The results showed that the percentage of circulating CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) Tregs was increased in PCa patients compared to healthy volunteers (7.6% ± 0.73% vs. 5.8% ± 0.54%, P<0.001). The frequency of circulating CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) Tregs was reduced 4 weeks after cryosurgery compared to before surgery (6.3% ± 0.58% vs. 7.6% ± 0.73%, P<0.001), and the decrease persisted for 8 weeks. However, the suppressive function of Tregs was increased in eight of 12 patients, which might contribute to cancer recurrence. Then the response of circulating Tregs is complicated after cryosurgery for PCa, and further studies are warranted.

Oncological outcome after primary prostate cryoablation compared with radical prostatectomy: a single-centre experience

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the oncological outcome after cryoablation of the prostate (CAP) in localized prostate cancer and to compare the results with those of the established treatment of radical prostatectomy (RP) after 7 years of parallel use.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Forty primary, whole-gland CAP procedures performed on 39 patients from 2006 until 2012 at the Department of Urology, Aarhus University Hospital, were prospectively registered. Patients had a minimum of 12 months' follow-up if they had no recurrent disease. Recurrence was defined by the Phoenix criterion (nadir PSA + 2 ng/ml). Results were compared with oncological outcome in 350 patients who underwent RP over the same period.

RESULTS

Median follow-up after CAP was 29.5 (range 4-75) months. Median age at the time of treatment was 65 (47-78) years. A total of 13 (33%) patients developed recurrent disease after CAP, and in D'Amico low-, intermediate- and high-risk subgroups, recurrence was found in two (33%), five (24%) and six (46%), respectively. Median follow-up after RP was 37 (16-54) months. No cases were excluded. Median age was 64 (34-76) years. Compared with the RP results, where recurrence was found in 62 cases in total (18%), and in three (3%), 30 (21%) and 29(28%) subdivided into risk groups, the risk of recurrent disease was significantly higher after the CAP procedures (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Recurrence after CAP was high regardless of risk group, indicating a risk of treating and leaving the tumour in situ. Even small low-risk tumours have the potential for recurrence. At this institution, the oncological outcome after CAP was inferior to that after RP.

The role of targeted focal therapy in the management of low-risk prostate cancer: update on current challenges

Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers among men in the United States, second only to nonmelanomatous skin cancer. Since prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing came into widespread use in the late 1980s, there has been a sharp increase in annual prostate cancer incidence. Cancer-specific mortality, though, is relatively low. The majority of these cancers will not progress to mortal disease, yet most men who are diagnosed opt for treatment as opposed to observation or active surveillance (AS). These men are thus burdened with the morbidities associated with aggressive treatments, commonly incontinence and erectile dysfunction, without receiving a mortality benefit. It is therefore necessary to both continue investigating outcomes associated with AS and to develop less invasive techniques for those who desire treatment but without the significant potential for quality-of-life side effects seen with aggressive modalities. The goals of this paper are to discuss the problems of overdiagnosis and overtreatment since the advent of PSA screening as well as the potential for targeted focal therapy (TFT) to bridge the gap between AS and definitive therapies. Furthermore, patient selection criteria for TFT, costs, side effects, and brachytherapy template-guided three-dimensional mapping biopsies (3DMB) for tumor localization will also be explored.

Comparison of biochemical failure definitions for predicting local cancer recurrence following cryoablation of the prostate

BACKGROUND

Various definitions of biochemical failure (BF) have been used to predict cancer recurrence following prostate cryoablation. However to date, none of these definitions have been validated for this use. We have reviewed several definitions of BF to determine their accuracy in predicting biopsy-proven local recurrence following prostate cryoablation.

METHODS

The Columbia University Urologic Oncology Database was queried for patients who underwent prostate cryoablation between 1994 and 2010, and who subsequently underwent surveillance biopsy due to clinical suspicion of prostate cancer recurrence. Serial postoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) results were used to determine BF according to various definitions of BF. Biopsy results were used to determine local recurrence. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve area were calculated for each of the BF definitions.

RESULTS

A total of 110 patients met inclusion criteria for the study. These patients were treated with primary full-gland (n = 38), primary focal (n = 24), or salvage cryoablation (n = 48). On surveillance biopsy, 66 patients (60%) were found to have locally recurrent prostate cancer. The most accurate BF definition overall was PSA nadir plus 2 ng/ml (Phoenix definition), with sensitivity, specificity, and ROC curve area of 68%, 59%, and 0.64, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the Phoenix definition best predicted local cancer recurrence following prostate cryoablation. These preliminary data may be useful for researchers evaluating the short-term efficacy of cryoablation, and for urologists assessing their patients for potential cancer recurrence.

MRI-guided interventions for the treatment of prostate cancer

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article is to evaluate MRI-guided therapies and to investigate their feasibility for focal therapy in prostate cancer patients. Relevant articles were retrieved using the PubMed online search engine.

CONCLUSION

Currently, MRI-guided laser ablation and MRI-guided focused ultrasound are the most promising options for focal treatment of the prostate in patients with prostate cancer. Other techniques-that is, cryosurgery, microwave ablation, and radiofrequency ablation-are, for several and different reasons, less suitable for MRI-guided focal therapy of the prostate.

Initial brazilian experience in the treatment of localized prostate cancer using a new generation cryotechnology: feasibility study

INTRODUCTION

The objective of our study is to present the first Brazilian cryoablation experience in the treatment of low and intermediate risk localized prostate cancer using 3rd generation cryoablation and real-time biplanar transrectal ultrasonography.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ten Brazilian patients underwent primary cryoablation for localized prostate cancer between October 2010 and June 2011. All patients consented for whole gland primary cryotherapy. The procedures were performed by 3rd generation cryoablation with the Cryocare System ® (Endocare, Irvine, California). Preoperative data collection included patient demographics along with prostate gland size, Gleason score, serum prostate specific antigen, and erectile function status. Operative and post--operative assessment involved estimated blood loss, operative time, complications, serum PSA level, erectile function status, urinary incontinence, biochemical disease free survival (BDFS), and follow-up time.

RESULTS

All patients in the study successfully underwent whole gland cryoablation. The mean of: age, prostate size, PSA level, and Gleason score, was 66.2 years old; 40.7 g; 7.8 ng/mL; and 6 respectively. All patients were classified as low or moderate D' Amico risk (5 low and 5 moderate). Erectile dysfunction was present in 50% of patients. The estimated blood loss was minimal, operative time was 46.1 minutes. All patients that developed erectile dysfunction post-treatment responded to oral or intracavernosal medications with early penile rehabilitation. All patients maintained urinary continence by the end of a 10 months evaluation period and none had biochemical relapse within the mean follow-up of 13 months (7-15 months).

CONCLUSION

Our initial experience shows that cryoablation is a minimally invasive option for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. Short term data seems to be promising but longer follow-up is necessary to verify oncological and functional results.

Focal therapy in the management of prostate cancer: an emerging approach for localized prostate cancer

A widespread screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has led increased diagnosis of localized prostate cancer along with a reduction in the proportion of advanced-stage disease at diagnosis. Over the past decade, interest in focal therapy as a less morbid option for the treatment of localized low-risk prostate cancer has recently been renewed due to downward stage migration. Focal therapy stands midway between active surveillance and radical treatments, combining minimal morbidity with cancer control. Several techniques of focal therapy have potential for isolated ablation of a tumor focus with sparing of uninvolved surround tissue demonstrating excellent short-term cancer control and a favorable patient's quality of life. However, to date, tissue ablation has mostly used for near-whole prostate gland ablation without taking advantage of accompanying the technological capabilities. The available ablative technologies include cryotherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP). Despite the interest in focal therapy, this technology has not yet been a well-established procedure nor provided sufficient data, because of the lack of randomized trial comparing the efficacy and morbidity of the standard treatment options. In this paper we briefly summarize the recent data regarding focal therapy for prostate cancer and these new therapeutic modalities.

Should we screen for and treat lower urinary tract dysfunction after major pelvic surgery? ICI-RS 2011

AIMS

Given the relative frequency of lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) after major pelvic surgery, the main question for this debate is: "Should we [actively] screen for LUTD after major pelvic surgery," with the intention to treat and improve patient care.

METHODS

The discussants selected relevant papers from a limited review of the literature [PubMed/Medline database (January 1966 to May 2011)] and prepared the YES versus NO presentations.

RESULTS

The evidence was presented for the following major pelvic procedures: colorectal surgery, hysterectomy, and surgery for other benign gynecologic conditions, radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy, and primary cryotherapy for prostate cancer. Based on the presentations, the audience voted in favor of screening for LUTD after major pelvic surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Irreversible treatment should be delayed in case of LUTD after major pelvic surgery. In fact, most symptoms spontaneously subside within 6 months after the surgery. Once the period of 6-12 months of conservative management has been completed and if LUTD persists, a new urodynamic screening should be followed by appropriate treatment.

Prostate cryoablation in patients with multiple-component inflatable penile prostheses

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate and assess any inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP)-related complications in patients with organ-confined prostate cancer treated definitively with third-generation, ultrasound-guided prostate cryoablation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

From November 2003 to October 2010, we identified 100 consecutive patients with clinically organ-confined prostate cancer who were treated with targeted cryoablation as primary or salvage therapy by a single surgeon. Review of these patients revealed 13 who had previously been diagnosed with organic erectile dysfunction and had been implanted with a multiple-component IPP by the same surgeon. To assess IPP complications related to the cryoablation procedure, we retrospectively reviewed events occurring within a 6-month postoperative follow-up period.

RESULTS

For the entire series, the patient ages ranged from 42-84 years (mean 68). Of the 13 patients with IPPs, no device-related complication (eg, IPP infection, erosion, or malfunction) was found. No patient required IPP revision or removal.

CONCLUSION

Patients with organ-confined prostate cancer who also have a multiple-component IPP may safely undergo ultrasound-guided prostate cryoablation as definitive therapy. Cryoprobe and thermocouple placement must be carried out carefully, using ultrasound guidance. To avoid IPP reservoir injury, suprapubic tube placement should be avoided.

Nanoparticle preconditioning for enhanced thermal therapies in cancer

Nanoparticles show tremendous promise in the safe and effective delivery of molecular adjuvants to enhance local cancer therapy. One important form of local cancer treatment that suffers from local recurrence and distant metastases is thermal therapy. In this article, we review a new concept involving the use of nanoparticle-delivered adjuvants to 'precondition' or alter the vascular and immunological biology of the tumor to enhance its susceptibility to thermal therapy. To this end, a number of opportunities to combine nanoparticles with vascular and immunologically active agents are reviewed. One specific example of preconditioning involves a gold nanoparticle tagged with a vascular targeting agent (i.e., TNF-α). This nanoparticle embodiment demonstrates preconditioning through a dramatic reduction in tumor blood flow and induction of vascular damage, which recruits a strong and sustained inflammatory infiltrate in the tumor. The ability of this nanoparticle preconditioning to enhance subsequent heat or cold thermal therapy in a variety of tumor models is reviewed. Finally, the potential for future clinical imaging to judge the extent of preconditioning and thus the optimal timing and extent of combinatorial thermal therapy is discussed.

Thermal ablation

Image-guided tumor ablation refers to a group of treatment modalities that have emerged during the past 2 decades as important tools in the treatment of a wide range of tumors throughout the body. Although most widely recognized in the treatment of hepatic and renal malignancies, the role of thermal ablation has expanded to include lesions of the lung, breast, prostate, bone, as well as other organs and its clinical applications continue to increase. In the following article, we discuss the major thermal ablation modalities, their respective strengths and weaknesses, potential complications and how to avoid them, as well as possible future applications.

Primary full-gland prostate cryoablation in older men (> age of 75 years): results from 860 patients tracked with the COLD Registry

Study Type - Therapy (outcomes research).

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

2c. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Most elderly patient with prostate cancer undergo radiation therapy, but cryoablation has gained popularity. This study demonstrates the safety and efficiency of this new approach.

OBJECTIVE

• To report on the largest data set regarding outcomes for whole gland prostate cryoablation as a primary treatment of prostate cancer in older men, which we empirically defined as age >75 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

• The COLD (Cryo On-Line Data) Registry consists of case report forms with pre- and post-treatment information obtained from patients undergoing prostate cryoablation. • A total of 860 patients were stratified into low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups (D'Amico 2003 risk definitions). • Biochemical disease-free survival (bDFS) was defined according to the traditional American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology definition (3 increases) and the newer (Phoenix) definition (nadir +2). • Biopsy was performed at physician discretion but most commonly for cause if a patient had an increasing or suspicious prostate-specific antigen level (PSA).

RESULTS

• The median age was 79 years (76-91) and the median follow-up was 16 months (4-60). • The 5-year [95% confidence interval (CI)] bDFS for the entire population using ASTRO and Phoenix definitions was 79% (4%) and 62.6% (8.3%), respectively. • Stratified by risk group, 5-year bDFS (ASTRO) was 82.4% (7.9%), 78.3% (5.8%) and 77.6% (7.7%) for low, moderate and high risk, respectively. • Using the Phoenix definition, 5-year bDFS was 74.9%± 15.3%, 61.4%± 13.2% and 58.0%± 11.9% for low-, moderate- and high-risk groups, respectively. • Incontinence was reported in eight patients (0.9%).

CONCLUSION

• Whole gland cryoablation in older men maintains oncological efficacy similar to that of younger men without increased morbidity.

Correlation of prostate-specific antigen nadir and biochemical failure after high-intensity focused ultrasound of localized prostate cancer based on the Stuttgart failure criteria - analysis from the @-Registry

OBJECTIVE

•To determine if the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nadir after high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) can be used as a predictor of the biochemical disease-free survival rate (DFSR).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

•Patient data were derived from the multicentre-based @-Registry, the largest registry to report outcomes in patients with localized prostate cancer after Ablatherm® HIFU. •PSA level was measured at 3-month intervals. Patients were stratified into four PSA nadir groups: group 1, ≤0.2 ng/mL; group 2, 0.21-0.5 ng/mL; group 3, 0.51-1 ng/mL; and group 4, >1 ng/mL. •Biochemical treatment failure was defined according to the Stuttgart definition (PSA nadir + 1.2 ng/mL) and the Phoenix definition (PSA nadir + 2 ng/mL). •Biopsy was performed at 3-6 months post-HIFU or if a PSA level was recorded that was considered clinically relevant.

RESULTS

•The present study included 804 patients. Biochemical treatment success rates at 5 years according to the Stuttgart definition for the four PSA nadir sub-groups were as follows: 84, 64, 40 and 30% for groups 1-4, respectively. •The equivalent 5-year biochemical success rates using the Phoenix definition were 94, 74, 66 and 47%, respectively. •Significantly more patients had a negative biopsy in the lowest PSA nadir group than in the other sub-groups (91.6 vs 73.1%; P < 0.001). •The present study is limited by its retrospective nature and variations in clinical practice across participating centres.

CONCLUSION

•This multicentre analysis confirms that PSA nadir after HIFU predicts biochemical DFSR in a statistically significant manner.

Focal therapy for prostate cancer: fact or fiction?

Prostate cancer is the commonest male cancer diagnosed in men in the UK, and the treatment of organ confined prostate cancer is a subject of much debate. Focal therapy for prostate cancer intends to treat the cancer within the prostate, whilst sparing the majority of the benign prostate tissue. In addition, the intention is to avoid treatment effects in the surrounding structures, the damage of which leads to the side effects commonly associated with radical whole gland therapies. This relies on accurate localization of the prostate cancer by biopsy and imaging followed by treatment using a modality capable of delivery to a focal area within the prostate. Focal therapy lies between the current extremes of radical whole gland treatment and active surveillance. There have been many articles reviewing the concept of focal therapy for organ confined prostate cancer, but with a paucity of data available for analysis. This is being addressed with an increase in the published data on focal therapy, using a number of different modalities. In this review, we address the question of whether the data currently published does in fact support the further development of the focal therapy approach, or whether it is a concept best relegated to the realms of fiction.

Robotic surgery in urologic oncology: gathering the evidence

In less than a decade, the widespread application of robotic technology to the field of urologic oncology has permanently altered the way urologists approach malignancy. The short-term benefits of minimally invasive surgery using robotic assistance (i.e., decreased blood loss, improved convalescence and ergonomic appeal), as well as a broad marketing campaign, have helped the technology gain traction in the field of urology. Although the long-term benefits of its use in urologic surgery are less clear and the costs of robotic surgery are consistently greater than those of other approaches, the numbers of prostate, kidney and bladder cancer cases continue to rise. Identifying transferable surgical processes of care that matter most for each of the robotic cases in urologic oncology (e.g., prostatectomy, cystectomy and partial nephrectomy) is a next step toward broadly improving the quality of urologic cancer care. To this end, urologic professional societies and their surgeons should aim to identify underwriters for and participate in large clinical registries and surgical quality collaboratives.

Minimally invasive ablative therapies for definitive treatment of localized prostate cancer in the primary setting

Traditionally, the patient with a new diagnosis of localized prostate cancer faces either radical therapy, in the form of surgery or radiation, or active surveillance. A growing subset of these men may not be willing to accept the psychological burden of active surveillance nor the side effects of extirpative or radiation therapy. Local ablative therapies including cryotherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound, and vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy have emerged as a means for minimally invasive definitive treatment. These treatments are well tolerated with decreased morbidity in association with improvements in technology; however, long-term oncologic efficacy remains to be determined.

Long-term cancer-specific and overall survival for men followed more than 10 years after primary and salvage cryoablation of the prostate

INTRODUCTION

Ten-year disease-specific survival for clinically localized prostate cancer after radiation is 93%, 88%, and 80% for low-, medium-, and high-risk groups, respectively. The objective of this study was to report long-term cancer survival outcomes for patients who had undergone prostate cryotherapy at our institution more than 10 years ago. To date, this is the longest reported follow-up after cryotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective patient chart review, conducted of an Institutional Review Board (IRB)- approved cryotherapy database, identified 76 men who had undergone prostate cryotherapy before January 1999. Pre-, intra-, and posttreatment data were collected. Primary study endpoints were overall mortality and prostate-cancer-specific death. Secondary endpoints were disease recurrence and clinical progression.

RESULTS

Mean patient age was 69.2 (47.4-86.3) years; median preoperative prostate-specific antigen was 5.3 (0.2-208.0); mean Gleason score was 7. Forty of 76 (52.6%) were confirmed D'Amico high risk. Median follow-up was 10.1 (0.2-14.9) years; 25 patients underwent primary treatment; 51 postradiation. After 10 years of follow-up, 43 of 76 men (56.6%) were still alive; 33 men (43.4%) had died-10 (13.2%) from prostate cancer, 18 (22.4%) from noncancerous causes, and 5 (6.6%) unknown.

CONCLUSIONS

The long-term results of prostate cryotherapy in our series indicate an 87% overall 10-year prostate-cancer-specific survival, despite early cryotherapy technology and the majority of patients being D'Amico high risk.

Pre-conditioning cryosurgery: cellular and molecular mechanisms and dynamics of TNF-α enhanced cryotherapy in an in vivo prostate cancer model system

Cryosurgery is increasingly being used to treat prostate cancer; however, a major limitation is local recurrence of disease within the previously frozen tissue. We have recently demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), given 4h prior to cryosurgery can yield complete destruction of prostate cancer within a cryosurgical iceball. The present work continues the investigation of the cellular and molecular mechanisms and dynamics of TNF-α enhancement on cryosurgery. In vivo prostate tumor (LNCaP Pro 5) was grown in a dorsal skin fold chamber (DSFC) on a male nude mouse. Intravital imaging, thermography, and post-sacrifice histology and immunohistochemistry were used to assess iceball location and the ensuing biological effects after cryosurgery with and without TNF-α pre-treatment. Destruction was specifically measured by vascular stasis and by the size of histologic zones of injury (i.e., inflammatory infiltrate and necrosis). TNF-α induced vascular pre-conditioning events that peaked at 4h and diminished over several days. Early events (4-24 h) include upregulation of inflammatory markers (nuclear factor-κB (NFκB) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM)) and caspase activity in the tumor prior to cryosurgery. TNF-α pre-conditioning resulted in recruitment of an augmented inflammatory infiltrate at day 3 post treatment vs. cryosurgery alone. Finally, pre-conditioning yielded enhanced cryosurgical destruction up to the iceball edge at days 1 and 3 vs. cryosurgery alone. Thus, TNF-α pre-conditioning enhances cryosurgical lesions by vascular mechanisms that lead to tumor cell injury via promotion of inflammation and leukocyte (esp. neutrophil) recruitment.

Predicting biopsy-proven prostate cancer recurrence following cryosurgery

OBJECTIVES

Prostate cancer (CaP) cryosurgery utilizes PSA nadir level and radiotherapy criteria as surrogates for success. We attempted to correlate PSA doubling time (PSAdt) and time of undetectable PSA (TUPSA) with biopsy-proven cancer recurrence (BPR) in men treated with primary third-generation cryotherapy for clinically localized CaP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Demographic, clinical, and pathologic data was retrieved including age, race, use of preoperative hormones or 5-α reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs), initial biopsy PSA, biopsy Gleason score, cT stage, prostate volume, presence/absence median lobe, and follow-up. Post-cryotherapy biopsy was considered for PSA levels ≥ 0.5 ng/ml. PSAdt was determined by the log-slope method. TUPSA was defined as time from surgery to a PSA value ≥ 0.2 ng/ml or most recent follow-up if undetectable.

RESULTS

Ninety-seven patients were identified. Preoperative hormonal manipulation was used in 25 (26%); 5 (5%) were using a 5-ARI. Twenty-seven (29%) underwent post-cryotherapy biopsy, 12 (12%) had a BPR. In 41 (42%), PSAdt was calculated (median 11.9 months, IQR 6.6-34.8); no significant difference between patients with BPR and without CaP was found (P = 0.46). TUPSA was a median of 4.9 months (IQR 3.2-9.9) vs. 15.6 months (IQR 6.1-30.3) for BPR or no CaP, respectively (P = 0.005). On proportional hazards regression, TUPSA was the only independent predictor of BPR (P = 0.03, OR 0.91).

CONCLUSIONS

Post-cryosurgery PSAdt does not appear to be associated with BPR risk, whereas TUPSA reduces the risk of BPR by 9% per month. This may help guide management if local failure is suspected.

Is there an optimal management for localized prostate cancer?

Widespread screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has led to a significant increase in the detection of early stage, clinically localized prostate cancer (CaP). Various treatment options for localized CaP are discussed in this review article including active surveillance, radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy, and cryotherapy. The paucity of high-level evidence adds a considerable amount of controversy when choosing the "optimal" intervention, for both the treating physician and the patient. The long time course of CaP intervention outcomes, combined with continuing modifications in treatments, further complicate the matter. Lacking randomized trials that compare treatment options, this review article attempts to summarize the different treatment options and associated side-effects, including effects on health-related quality of life, from current published literature.

Low dose, alternating electric current inhibits growth of prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

A number of minimally invasive technologies exist for the treatment of prostate cancer (CaP), each with their associated morbidities. We sought to test the efficacy of low dose alternating electric current (LDAEC) to inhibit CaP growth in a preclinical setting and determine its effect on normal tissue.

METHODS

In the first study, two power settings, 15 or 25 mA of current, and two treatment times, 15 or 60 min, were evaluated in C4-2B CaP xenografts. In the second study, power was regulated to maintain an intra-tumoral temperature of <or=45 degrees C in C4-2B and LuCaP 35 tumors. In both studies, tumor volume, serum PSA levels, survival and histology were analyzed. In a third study, LDAEC was applied to mice hamstrings with evaluation of gait and histology.

RESULTS

The most effective tumor volume reduction in the first study was seen with tumors treated with 25 mA for 15 min (62 +/- 9.4% decrease, P = 0.001). Longer treatment time did not enhance treatment effect. Using 45 degrees C to govern delivery of LDAEC resulted in a near 100% reduction in tumor volume in 8/10 mice with C4-2B tumors (P < 0.001) with similar inhibition of LuCaP 35 tumors (P = 0.01). This treatment, although resulting in skeletal muscle necrosis, did not affect nerves, smooth muscle and blood vessels.

CONCLUSION

LDAEC demonstrates efficacy against C4-2B and LuCaP 35 CaP xenografts while causing no harm to nerves and blood vessels. These results warrant further investigations into the use of LDAEC as a treatment for CaP.

Analysis of urinary function using validated instruments and uroflowmetry after primary and salvage prostate cryoablation

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate changes in urinary function after cryoablation for clinically localized prostate cancer and to investigate risk factors that predict changes in urinary function after surgery.

METHODS

Among the patients who underwent primary or salvage cryoablation between January 2002 and May 2008, 74 patients (50 primary and 24 salvage) with both a preoperative and postoperative urinary function domain score and uroflowmetry were included in this study. The mean age was 66.8 ± 7.5 years and the mean follow-up period was 42.5 ± 20.3 months. The changes in postoperative urinary function were evaluated on the basis of several categorized groups, including surgical method, preoperative urinary symptoms, and prostate volume.

RESULTS

Of 74 patients, 2 (2.7%) presented with mild stress incontinence after cryoablation. No patient presented with persistent urinary retention or urethral fistula. When comparing postoperative International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and bother index scores with preoperative scores, it was found that on average IPSS and bother index recovered 12 and 18 months after cryoablation, respectively, and continued to improve after recovery. Only salvage cryoablation correlated with deteriorating urinary function in a logistic regression model (P = .032). However, it was noted that the patients with preoperative moderate to severe urinary symptoms and larger prostate volume showed improvement of urinary function after cryoablation. No associations were found between worsened urinary function and prostate volume, comorbidities (hypertension, obesity, and diabetes), or sexual function.

CONCLUSIONS

Cryoablation is a minimally invasive surgery for localized prostate cancer. This study is the first to demonstrate the ability of cryoablation in terms of maintaining and potentially improving urinary function using validated instruments and uroflowmetry assessments.

Correlation of thermocouple data with voiding function after prostate cryoablation

OBJECTIVES

To identify possible correlations of thermocouple recorded data with altered postoperative voiding function after prostate cryosurgery.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the records of 58 patients treated with prostate cryoablation from October 2005 through April 2009 was conducted. Multivariate analysis of patient age, presenting prostate-specific antigen level, Gleason score, clinical T stage, prostate volume, maximum low temperature thermocouple recordings, history of radiation and or hormonal therapy, were studied as possible correlative factors for altered postoperative voiding function.

RESULTS

Of 58 patients, 22 (37.9%) manifested postcryoablation urgency and frequency (n = 13) requiring medical therapy or retention (n = 9). On multivariate analysis, age (P = .037) and an external sphincter temperature < or = 23 degrees C (P = .012) were associated with voiding frequency, urgency, or retention (odds ratio = 6.26, 95% CI: 1.62-24.16), whereas anterior rectal wall temperature (Denon) was weakly associated (P = .079).

CONCLUSIONS

Thermocouple data provide an objective means of assessing cryosurgical outcomes. This is the first report of a correlation of such data to post-treatment voiding function. A total of 37.9% of patients experienced urgency and/or frequency or urinary retention after cryoablation of the prostate for localized disease. Older age and external sphincter temperature < or = 23 degrees C were statistically significant predictors of these events. The data suggest that limiting the degree of freezing at the external sphincter may decrease procedure related morbidity. Further study is warranted to better delineate temperature-related data on treatment outcomes.

Cryoimmunotherapy in urologic oncology

Cryoablation is gaining acceptance as a primary treatment of localized as well as a salvage therapy of metastatic urologic malignancies. Anecdotal clinical reports suggest cryoablation can induce a systemic anti-tumor immune response; this phenomenon has been confirmed in animal models. To capitalize on this stimulatory effect of cryotherapy for control of advanced malignancies, it must be further intensified. This article reviews the existing evidence regarding cryoimmunology and discusses the mechanisms for generation of an anti-tumor immune response. Several immunotherapy approaches that can be combined with cryoablation to devise a cryoimmunotherapeutic strategy with potential to affect the progression of metastatic disease are described.

Cryoablation of the prostate: technical recommendations

The European Association of Urology guidelines on prostate cancer state that cryotherapy is a true therapeutic alternative for patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. The aim of this paper is to establish a uniform practice for performing prostate cryoablation. A collaboration has been set up among five European centres with experience in almost 1000 prostate cancer patients on the use of cryotherapy. The present recommendations were developed through sharing of experience and thorough discussions within the group. This first paper from the group establishes the technical recommendations for use of prostate cryotherapy.

Update on cryotherapy for localized prostate cancer

Stage migration has led to an increased incidence of localized and low-risk prostate cancer. Intermediate-term data are emerging on the efficacy of cryotherapy, but direct comparison to other therapeutic modalities is difficult as the parameters for recurrence are not well defined. Studies using the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology and the Phoenix (nadir plus 2) criteria for biochemical recurrence show that primary cryotherapy appears to be comparable for low-risk prostate cancer as other treatment modalities. In addition, health-related quality-of-life measures have improved with the most recent third-generation systems demonstrating low incontinence and urethrorectal fistula rates. Erectile dysfunction is high with whole gland ablation, but focal therapy may reduce these rates while still ablating unilateral cancerous tissue. Prostate cryotherapy for localized prostate cancer is an evolving but viable therapeutic option. Long-term data are still needed to establish a definitive role for cryosurgery in prostate cancer treatment.

Frontiers in biotransport: water transport and hydration

Biotransport, by its nature, is concerned with the motions of molecules in biological systems while water remains as the most important and the most commonly studied molecule across all disciplines. In this review, we focus on biopreservation and thermal therapies from the perspective of water, exploring how its molecular motions, properties, kinetic, and thermodynamic transitions govern biotransport phenomena and enable preservation or controlled destruction of biological systems.

Frontiers in Biotransport: Water Transport and Hydration

Biotransport, by its nature, is concerned with the motions of molecules in biological systems while water remains as the most important and the most commonly studied molecule across all disciplines. In this review, we focus on biopreservation and thermal therapies from the perspective of water, exploring how its molecular motions, properties, kinetic, and thermodynamic transitions govern biotransport phenomena and enable preservation or controlled destruction of biological systems.

High-intensity-focused ultrasound in the treatment of primary prostate cancer: the first UK series

Background:

The use of minimally invasive ablative therapies in localised prostate cancer offer potential for a middle ground between active surveillance and radical therapy.

Methods:

An analysis of men with organ-confined prostate cancer treated with transrectal whole-gland HIFU (Sonablate 500) between 1 February 2005 and 15 May 2007 was carried out in two centres. Outcome data (side-effects using validated patient questionnaires, biochemical, histology) were evaluated.

Results:

A total of 172 men were treated under general anaesthetic as day-case procedures with 78% discharged a mean 5 h after treatment. Mean follow-up was 346 days (range 135–759 days). Urethral stricture was significantly lower in those with suprapubic catheter compared with urethral catheters (19.4 vs 40.4%, P=0.005). Antibiotics were given to 23.8% of patients for presumed urinary tract infection and the rate of epididymitis was 7.6%. Potency was maintained in 70% by 12 months, whereas mild stress urinary incontinence (no pads) was reported in 7.0% (12 out of 172) with a further 0.6% (1 out of 172) requiring pads. There was no rectal toxicity and no recto-urethral fistulae. In all, 78.3% achieved a PSA nadir ⩽0.5 μg ml⁻¹ at 12 months, with 57.8% achieving ⩽0.2 μg ml⁻¹. Then, 8 out of 13 were retreated with HIFU, one had salvage external beam radiotherapy and four chose active surveillance for small-volume low-risk disease. Overall, there was no evidence of disease (PSA <0.5 μg ml⁻¹ or negative biopsy if nadir not achieved) after one HIFU session in 92.4% (159 out of 172) of patients.

Conclusion:

HIFU is a minimally invasive, day-case ablative technique that can achieve good biochemical outcomes in the short term with minimal urinary incontinence and acceptable levels of erectile dysfunction. Long-term outcome needs further evaluation and the inception of an international registry for cases treated using HIFU will significantly aid this health technology assessment.